Nowadays, cases of arthritis have reached shocking proportions. If you’ve never heard about the diseases, worry not. Here are some pieces of information concerning the ailment. Firstly, there are three main types of arthritis, namely

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Osteoarthritis and
• Psoriatic arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which a patient experiences painful inflammations on their joints.

On the other hand, Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis where the cartilage peels off with time. Last but not least, the Psoriatic arthritis is a severe kind of arthritis which affects patients with psoriasis.

Definition

Arthritis refers to several varying types of conditions that affect a living being’s joints as well as the tissues close to the joints.

Causes

• Genetics; This is arguably the leading cause of arthritis. Research shows that the disease may runs through a family. If you realize that the condition runs in your family, you shouldn’t hesitate to visit the nearest rheumatologist or Orthopedics.
• Carrying heavy loads for long; nobody else will tell you that constant carrying of heavy loads puts excess pressure on your joints. Gradually the strain damages your joints and the tissues surrounding them, thus leading to arthritis.
• Serious joint injuries; whenever one sustains a severe joint injury, they must seek urgent medical assistance to prevent the situation from aggravating. The injury damages your joints hence putting you at the risk of developing arthritis.
• Lifestyle and Degenerative Tendency of joints: Our Muscles become weak with age and our bones and muscles degenerate with time. Our lifestyle is one determining factor how fast our joints and muscles will degenerate. Lack of exercise and poor lifestyle puts strain on our muscles leading to arthritis.

Precautions

• Avoid a habit of carrying heavy loads.
• Avoid smoking.
• Maintain average body weight as per height.
• Avoid getting injured while out for sports.
• Eat a balanced diet.
• Exercise regularly for stronger muscles.

Risks to Health

• Slowly leads to back & joints pain.
• May lead to lung cancer.
• May lead to insomnia.
• Vicious cycle leads to gaining weight.

Treatment of Arthritis

• Regular workouts; regular exercising helps to flex the affected joints without pilling any pressure on the joints. However, the patient must exercise under a therapist’s watch to avoid causing more damage to the affected joints.
• Acupuncture; is an effective treatment that involves the insertion of the needles to the affected joints. The medicine helps to restore balance to the entire body, including the joints.
• Getting a massage from a massage expert; unknown to many patients, massage plays a crucial role in relaxing the affected joints. The treatment also helps to ease pain at the joints as it gradually restores balance in the body.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; The NSAIDs helps in the reduction of pain as well as inflammation. However, the drugs are usually powerful and, as such, should only be taken in strict obedience to the rheumatologist’s prescription.
• Surgery; in case other forms of treatment fail, the doctor may opt for surgery. Some of this procedure may be joint repair, joint fusion, or joint replacement.

Type of Doctor Who Can Treat Arthritis

An arthritis specialist, is an Orthopedic Doctor. A Rheumatologist, is the best doctor to treats rheumatoid arthritis.

Symptoms

• Loss of weight.
• Redness of the joints.
• Stiffness of the joints.
• Joint pain
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Anemia