Arthritis-A Painful Condition
By Divya Tickoo, Physiotherapist Arthritis is the inflammation of one or multiple joints, causing physical pain in ways depending on the type of Arthritis. Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis are the most common arthritis types. Arthritis...
By Divya Tickoo, Physiotherapist
Arthritis is
the inflammation of one or multiple joints, causing physical pain in ways
depending on the type of Arthritis. Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis are
the most common arthritis types. Arthritis causes pain and stiffness in the
joints and may get worst with age, however, at times appearing suddenly as
well. Arthritis mostly develops
in adults after 65 yrs of age and is rare amongst children. Women are more
susceptible to arthritis than men, especially in the case of rheumatoid
arthritis. Whereas gout; another type of arthritis, is more commonly found in
men. Obesity seems to be a major cause for arthritis since it is often found in
people who are obese. Medical care
is often required to treat arthritis and keep the symptoms at bay.
Arthritis and its Symptoms
Symptoms of Arthritis in the knee are the
most prominent and common amongst all types. The general arthritis symptoms for
all types of arthritis are as
follows:
·
Extreme pain in the
joints
·
Stiffness of joints
·
Swelling
·
Redness
·
Difficulty in motion of
the joint
Many of these symptoms are more likely
experienced during the mornings around the knee cap.
Rheumatoid arthritis also causes
lack of appetite or fatigue due to the inflammation of the immune system. Which
may further develop into anaemia experiencing a low grade fever?
Common Arthritis Types
Two common types of arthritis:
Osteoarthritis: where there is wear down
of the flexible cartilage covering the end of each bone/joint. This type of arthritis causes extreme pain,
swelling and difficulty in movement of the joints and commonly occurs in knees,
hips, lower back and neck.
Rheumatoid arthritis: is an autoimmune
disease causing inflammation of the joints and the tissues around it. It also
causes swelling in other multiple body organs and thus is also known as
systemic illness.
Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis or JIA:
both the terms being used interchangeably, Juvenile idiopathic Arthritis is a
chronic, non infective, inflammatory and autoimmune joint disease. JIA is
mainly seen in children and adolescents.
Arthritis - Treatment
Treatment largely depends on the type of
arthritis and its degree and is mainly aimed at alleviation of the joint pain.
However individuals respond differently to the treatment. The common techniques
used to reduce arthritis pain are; placing heat pads or ice packs on the joints.
People with arthritis knee use devices to enable mobility such as walkers and
or canes. This reduces the pressure on the joints while walking.
MEDICATION FOR ARTHRITIS
There are a number of medications for
treating arthritis.
·
Analgesics – for pain
management
·
Non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) – helps in controlling pain and inflammation
·
Menthol or capsaicin
creams: block the pain from radiating to other body parts
·
Immunosuppressant –
helps in subsiding inflammation of the joint
Note: It
is advised not to engage in self medications for arthritis. Treatments are only
to be taken on recommendations of a doctor.
SURGERY FOR ARTHRITIS
Joint replacement, the most common being
knee and hip replacement may be suggested by the doctor, in case of certain
types of arthritis.
In case of severity of arthritis of
finger or wrists, a joint fusion is performed. These methods are adopted only
in severe cases, where the arthritis pain is extreme and when medication or
physiotherapy does not help.
Physiotherapy for Arthritis
For arthritis physiotherapy involves
exercising the affected joints which helps muscle strengthening around the
joint and is one of the more natural ways to heal joint. It is thus recommended
to begin with in the early stage of the disease. Physiotherapy for arthritis is
most commonly administered for arthritis in knee, as well as for treating back
and neck pain due to arthritis. Experts from Portea are well equipped to handle
such cases.
Risk Factors of having Arthritis:
·
Family history –
arthritis can also be genetic or hereditary due to the environmental factors
that one is exposed to.
·
Age – Arthritis pain
and arthritis symptom increase with age.
·
Earlier joint injury –
those with early joint injury tends to develop arthritis in that joint.
·
Obesity – Excess body
weight puts stress on the joints and is the most common cause of arthritis
knee.
Complications in Arthritis:
Severe cases of arthritis in the wrists,
fingers, etc. may hinder performing daily tasks due to the arthritis pain.
Similarly, arthritis in knees or hips, ankles, etc. may cause discomfort while
walking or sitting. It is thus, extremely important that proper attention to
the problem is given as soon as you detect symptom of arthritis and begin
arthritis rehabilitation or physical therapy for arthritis. You may contact
Portea for detailed evaluation and proper line of treatment. Arthritis treatment is facilitated by
Portea and you can get several solutions en route towards battling physical
complications arising from the same.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthritis
https://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/guide/arthritis-basics#1