Arthritis is a painful condition that can cause discomfort and stop you from doing many physical activities. Basically, it is the inflammation of the joints that can affect one or multiple bones. It is difficult to diagnose which type of arthritis you are suffering from.
Osteoarthritis is the most common that you can find in 2 in 10 people. There are other types of arthritis too that are common, like gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriatic arthritis.
A medicine specialist in Islamabad says that you may develop arthritis between 30 to 50 years of age. But it can also affect the other age groups.
People who are overweight are also prone to arthritis as the weight can put extra pressure on your joints and cause more pain.
Let’s find out more.
How to find out if you have arthritis?
The symptoms of arthritis can take time to develop. But early, you may experience stiffness, swelling, and joint pain. When you have been resting, you find it difficult to stand as the pain of arthritis gets worse in the morning.
You can also diagnose this condition when you want to move your body but it only moves in limited directions. You may hear sound while popping and clicking with bending. It also appears as bony growth in the fingers.
It makes you feel like scraping in the knees and muscle weakness around the joint.
But if it is the rheumatoid arthritis type, you may experience a little more signs, such as finding it difficult to stand after waking up, feeling pain in multiple joints at once, low-grade fever, low red blood cell count, fatigue, get affected both sides joints, mouth, and eye inflammation, inflamed blood vessels and heart muscles.
It is a condition that can result due to different reasons. You can prevent this condition by choosing a healthy lifestyle and consulting a doctor early if you ever experience an injury or are at risk of developing arthritis.
Injuries and obesity can also result in arthritis. Well, you can maintain your weight to prevent the development of arthritis. You should stay active throughout your life as it reduces the risk of many age-related conditions.
Some other factors also contribute to causing arthritis, such as genes, muscle weakness, wear and tear of a joint from overuse, autoimmune disorders, aging, etc.
What to do if you have arthritis?
A primary care physician can help you learn if you have developed any potential disorder. A physical exam can help to diagnose if you are suffering from any condition. It helps to find the fluid around your joints and you can get direct help from the specialist.
The treatment of arthritis varies as per the cause and the severity of the joint condition. You can prevent more damage by following some simple tips. For example, regular exercise can help you to ease the pain.
Your doctor may suggest a combination of the treatment to get more effective results.
Medications and supplements can help to prevent the damage of arthritis and improve the stiffness of the joints. Doctors often suggest regular exercise, heat, and cold compress, physical therapy, occupational therapy, a diet rich in nutrients, weight loss and devices to support mobility, etc.
How does physical therapy work for arthritis?
Your muscles need the strength that you can do with some exercises. Basically, physical therapy includes exercises that help to strengthen your joint muscles and consider an important part of arthritis treatment. You can choose out of pocket physical therapy if you don’t have insurance or if your insurance company isn’t in your network. ] You can also contribute your own efforts to improve your condition, such as by staying physically active. It boosts your flexibility, builds strength, and maintains mobility that prevents more damage to your joints.
Healthy Lifestyle Choices
When you start focusing on your weight and losing the extra fat, it will definitely affect your arthritis condition. Moderate weight reduces the risk of OA and also results in reducing severe symptoms.
You can also switch to a healthy diet that provides all the essential nutrients to your body that can help to strengthen your muscles. You should add vegetables and fruits to your diet as they provide all the vitamins and proteins that your joints require.
Experts believe that vegetables and fruits lower the risk of inflammation. But you must take notice if you eat an unhealthy diet. You should avoid fried and processed foods. Doctors also suggest avoiding dairy products that can worsen your condition.
You can also try some home exercises that can help to reduce the risk of arthritis. You can ease pain in your hands by bending your fingers and thumb. You can also raise your leg and hamstring stretches to reduce the discomfort. It helps to improve mobility.
Wrapping Up
Pain in joints can make you inactive and increase the risk of falls.
If you ever experience worsening conditions, consult with your expert as early treatment can bring more effective results.
