Arthritis Symptoms
The word 'arthritis' essentially implies an inflammation of joints. The origin of the term comes from two Greek words, ‘athron’ meaning joints and ‘itis’ meaning inflammation. This disease is a chronic ailment. Arthritis at a nascent stage usually envelops the whole body leaving one or two joints in a deformed state thus weakening the patients physical ability and creating a handicap.
- Arthritis symptoms in the knee: Over a period of time once arthritis sets in, the person could become bowlegged or knock-kneed. If the person does not use the arthritic leg, the condition could worsen as the leg muscles loose their strength and elasticity.
- Arthritic symptoms in the hips: Arthritis symptoms in the hips manifest as pain in the hip, thigh and lower groin. The affected leg looks shorter and resulting in limping. The person experiences difficulty in handling his shoes and laces.
- Arthritis symptoms in the fingers: Arthritis symptoms in the fingers are seen in the wear and tear of cartilage in the finger joints. Appearances of ‘spurs’ (called Heberden’s nodes) in the extremes of finger joints are prevalent more in women in their forties. Such nodes in the middle joints are known as Bouchard’s nodes.
- Arthritis symptoms in the hand: The human hand comprises 25 bones. Arthritis symptoms in the hand manifest as excruciating pain, affecting grip and manipulation, and in severe cases, deformity.
- Arthritis symptoms in the back: Arthritis symptoms in the back are pain in the spine, inflammation, stiffness, recurrent back pain, pain and soreness in the neck, shoulder and limbs, bent spine, and difficulty in movement.
- Arthritis symptoms in the feet: As the feet carry one’s whole weight, and contain 30 joints, even the slightest pain or discomfort should be attended to. Arthritis symptoms in the feet are pain in the toes and heel and arch of the foot whether moving or at rest. Swelling and a sense of stiffness or numbness and difficulty in mobility can also be experienced. Toes of people affected by rheumatoid arthritis curl and stay in that position.
Arthritis Treatment
Arthritis natural treatment involves usage of essential oils extracted from natural herbs and vegetables grown organically. You can also use home remedies to alleviate symptoms. Medical attention is a must and should not be ignored. Here are some tips regarding arthritis treatment.
- Soak slices of unpeeled potato or black sesame seeds overnight in a glass of cold water, and drink it the next morning before your morning coffee. This is extremely good arthritis treatment for hands. Juice extracts of green leafy vegetables, carrot, beet, and celery are good for arthritis as the joints become suppler. Pineapple juice reduces inflammation. Including garlic, bananas, diluted lime juice, tea of alfalfa, and a soup made from green gram alleviates pain and swelling of joints. A massage of camphor and warm mustard or coconut oil improves blood circulation and eases stiffness and is good for arthritis in the hips and arthritis in the neck.
- Arthritis treatment for the knees calls for reducing body weight and curtailing physical activities with the aid of a crutch or cane, if need be. Drugs to combat inflammation and injections of cortisone reduce pain and swelling. In extreme cases, knee replacement surgery may be required.
- Comfortable foot wear is the first step to arthritis treatment for feet. Shoes with cushions and insoles, soaking feet in warm water, or a warm foot massage reduce pain. A walking aid, physiotherapy, vitamin supplements, pain killers, and steroids are options. Surgery should be the last option.
- Rest, drugs, supervised exercise, weight loss, and in dire cases, surgery is recommended for arthritis treatment for the back.
- Arthritis treatment for the fingers include painkillers, finger exercise using a stress ball or worry beads, and local fomentation of hot and cold pads, extracts of natural herbs.
- Heat and cold massages, wearing a brace to support the neck to avoid further damage, neck exercises, sleeping on a firm bed without a mattress, and anti-inflammatory medications are arthritis treatment for the neck.
Arthritis Medications
What are the arthritis medications available? There are a number of drugs that you can put on your arthritis medication list. These include drugs to reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and some drugs help control the underlying cause. Individual response to arthritis medications may vary, and in some cases, side effects are also a possibility. It is therefore very important to find the right medications to deal with the problem. Your doctor may prescribe one or more of the following types of medications.
- Painkillers
- Disease-modifying drugs (anti-rheumatic)
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication
- Biologics
You could also go in for some over the counter arthritis medication for temporary relief from arthritis. These over the counter drugs not only help relieve pain but also help reduce inflammation and redness. Arthritis topical medications can also be used to get relief from pain. Topical medication includes lotions, oils, gels, and creams, ointments and other products that you apply on your skin. Topical medication, however, provides relief only in the case of mild arthritic pain. It is best to consult your doctor before going in for any arthritis medication.
Arthritis Causes
It is difficult to know what the exact cure of arthritis is because very often a number of factors contribute to a person developing this ailment. In many cases, the cause of the arthritis depends on the type or form of arthritis the person is suffering from. Hence, arthritis causes and symptoms vary from person to person. Some arthritis causes are as follows:
- Injury to joint due to accidents or physical activities
- Joint dislocation
- Trauma
- Improper posture
- Genetic disorder of the cartilage
- Bow legs
- Hormonal imbalance
- Gout
- Diabetes
- Arthritis causes and cures are interlinked. Local hot and cold compresses, pain killers, physical therapy, steroids for acute symptoms, and surgery are called for.
Arthritis Diet
Arthritis diet food should be well-balanced with adequate amounts of calcium, iron, phosphorus, and vitamins. Vitamins D and A play an important role in keeping off infections and thus help prevent arthritis. Your arthritis diet plan should include papayas, oranges, whole milk carrots, raw bananas, and raw bananas. Vegetables such as radish, tomato, cabbage, watercress, beets, cauliflower, mushroom, turnips beans and peas are all good for arthritis and should also be part of your diet.
Arthritis diet treatment for hips should contain a well-balanced sugar free diet, supplemented by Vitamin C. Consuming gelatin in some form also helps alleviates pain. An arthritic diet in the case of osteoarthritis (OA) should contain fat free foods that will enable weight loss. An arthritis diet plan should comprise a well-balanced diet for all types of arthritis. In cases where the arthritic conditions are severe, vegetable juice therapy helps.
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