Everything You Need To Know About Arthritis

Arthritis refers to joint inflammation, which describes various conditions that can affect the joints, the tissues surrounding the joints, and the other connective tissues. 

The two most common types of arthritis that affect the joints are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis usually occurs at the time when the smooth cartilage joint surface wears out. It usually begins in isolated joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that refers to the malfunctioning of the immune system that attacks the body.
 

Facts Related To Arthritis

Following are some of the facts that are related to arthritis:

• Arthritis usually refers to about 200 rheumatic conditions that generally affect the joints, including rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. 
   
• It can lead to causing various symptoms which may impair a person's ability to perform daily tasks. 
   
• Physical activity can have a very positive effect on arthritis and improve pain and function. 
   
• The factors that can affect the development of arthritis may include injury, genetic makeup, abnormal metabolism, infections, and other infections in the immune system. 
   

Do's And Don'ts For Arthritis

Arthritis is being seen as a very usual cause of pain and disability of your body. There may be plenty of tips available for easing arthritis pain and improving mobility in various ways such as exercise, medications, stress reductions, etc.

You should pay attention to your joints whether you may be standing or sitting or even if you may be engaged in any other activity. It would help if you did your daily gentle stretches to move the joints in the range of motion while doing exercise. An experienced and certified physical therapist for arthritis pain, can help by showing you correct postures to avoid putting a lot of stress on your joints. 

You must have a proper balance in your activities, do an ample amount of rest, and avoid overdoing any exercise. In addition to it, you should manage your weight to reduce the complications of any arthritis. It would help to quit smoking as it can be very harmful, especially for people with arthritis. 

You should choose the right kind of activities or exercise and movements which can be very helpful in decreasing the pain and stiffness. It can increase your range of motion and help in strengthening the muscles around the joints. Your therapist would design the best exercise schedule that suits your condition. 

The activities you must avoid doing include running, jumping, tennis, high-impact aerobics, etc. You must also avoid repeating the same movements again and again.  
 

Treatment For Arthritis Pain

The treatment for arthritis leads to controlling the pain, minimizing the joints' damage, and improving the functioning and quality of life. A range of medications and various lifestyle strategies can help achieve your goals and protect your joints from any further damage. 

The treatments may involve the following: 

Physical Therapy

Your doctor may refer you to a physical therapist to help you provide relief from arthritis pain. The type of treatment that the physical therapists may provide includes:

• Warm Water Therapy - It refers to several exercises done in a warm water pool. The water helps by providing support to your body weight and puts less pressure on your muscles and your joints. 
   
• Physical Therapy - These are specific exercises that are tailored to various conditions and individual needs. There are specific pain-relieving techniques such as ice packs or hot packs that a physical therapist can use to provide you relief from the problems. 
   
• Occupational Therapy - It refers to practical advice provided by a physical therapist for arthritis pain. It may include specialized aids and equipment for protecting the joints from any further damage

Self Management

Self-management of the body if you are suffering from certain conditions such as arthritis is essential. The key strategies may include the following:

• Being Organized - It refers to keeping track of your levels of pain and symptoms and possible side effects to be consulted with your doctor. 
   
• Management of Pain And Fatigue - A medication regime can be combined with various non-medical pain management techniques. It would help if you also learned about fatigue which is key to living comfortably with arthritis. 
   
• Staying Active - Exercise is very beneficial for the management of overall health and arthritis. 
   
• Balancing The Activity With Rest - Besides remaining active, it is also essential to take ample amounts of rest to manage arthritis properly. 
   
• Eating A Healthy Diet - A balanced diet is very useful in helping you achieve a healthy weight and control inflammation. You should avoid refined and processed foods; and also pro-inflammatory animal-derived foods. Instead, you must choose to eat whole plant foods that are high in antioxidants and contain various anti-inflammatory properties. 
   
• Sleep Improvement - Poor sleep can lead to aggravating arthritis pain and fatigue. So you must take steps for improving sleeping hygiene so that you can fall asleep quickly and stay asleep for a longer time.