Arthritis

What is arthritis

Arthritis is a disease that involves inflammation that affects the joints and muscles. Arthritis affects the movements used for everyday activities. It is a chronic disease that can last a long time and possibly for the rest of your life. Arthritis is frequently accompanied by joint pain. There are more than a hundred different forms of arthritis and they vary in their impact on your body. For example, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus impact multiple organs and cause widespread health issues. 

Symptoms of arthritis

Symptoms of arthritis can include joint pain, stiffness and swelling in particular areas, restricted movements of the joints, warmth and redness of the skin over the joint, experiencing difficulty in moving the joint, pain and inflammation of tendons surrounding joints, having trouble breathing, weight loss and signs of fever such as fatigue and feeling unwell regularly. 

Arthritis can be caused by hereditary factors, joint instability, age-related changes, stress, changes in biochemistry, hormonal factors, genetic predisposition, environmental factors, psychological factors, dysfunctions in the immune system, and dental amalgamations. 

Risk factors of arthritis

Risk factors that can increase your chances of getting arthritis can include variation in genetics, infections such as a joint infection (septic joint), multiple episodes of gout, or other medical conditions, old age, excess body weight, hard physical labour and previously acquired major injuries. 

Complications of arthritis

If your arthritis develops complications, it can lead to loss of appetite and weight, having difficulty in walking, an inflammation of the tendons, reduced overall physical activity, stiffness in your joints, experiencing fatigue and tiredness, muscle pain, lumps (nodules) under the skin and even anaemia. 

Diagnosis of arthritis

When visiting your doctor for a diagnosis, the doctor uses a variety of methods and tests to determine if the symptoms align with arthritis. You can be asked questions about your medical history and current medical conditions, undergo a physical examination and imaging studies and give blood tests.

Other tests can include lab tests such as rheumatoid factor testing, erythrocyte sedimentation rate test, c-reactive protein (CRP), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody test (Anti-CCP), antinuclear antibodies (ANA), complete blood count, HLA tissue typing and testing of your body’s uric acid level. You may also undergo X-rays of bones and joints and MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging scans). 

Treatment of arthritis

There is no official cure for arthritis, but treatments focus on pain relief, minimizing joint damage, improving everyday functions, and maintaining the quality of life the patient was used to before getting arthritis. Treatments can include medications often used for non-inflammatory types of arthritis, acupuncture & acupressure treatments, psychotherapy and hypnotherapy treatments, non-pharmacologic treatments such as homeopathic treatments, physical or occupational therapy, splints or joint assistive aids, patient education and support, dietary and herbal approaches, weight loss, and surgery - including joint replacement procedures. 

Homeopathic treatment of arthritis

Homeopathic medication for arthritis helps in the reduction in swelling, pain and stiffness of the affected joints. Homeopathy improves joint physiology. Since medication under homeopathy has been shown to relieve pain faster and better, this form of treatment is becoming more popular with patients. Homeopathic remedies used in these cases include aconitum, apis mellifica, bryonia alba, mercurius, sulphuricum, arnica montana and chamomilla. 

Acupuncture treatment of arthritis

During acupuncture, fine needles are inserted into certain pressure points in your body to relieve pain or ease muscles. Acupressure uses gentle but firm pressure on these same points to regulate the energy of the body, this may include kneading, massaging and stretching. Acupuncture can be very helpful in relieving pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis. The acupuncture points used in these cases depend on the type of arthritis and the areas where the symptoms are felt the most, for example the neck, elbows and shoulders. Joints can be relieved with daily acupressure treatments. Acupressure can also improve blood circulation for rheumatic conditions.

Psychological treatment of arthritis

Getting arthritis can have a huge impact on your life, forcing you to change your habits and lifestyle. Psychotherapy and hypnotherapy treatment reduces the patient’s depression. By treating this depression, experts are also able to treat the pain and suffering associated with arthritis in some cases. The patients can choose to be treated through therapy sessions or by antidepressant medications.

Conventional treatment of arthritis

Medicinal treatments can include treatments of inflammatory or non-inflammatory types of arthritis. Aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Motrin, and others), naproxen (Naprosyn, and others) and diclofenac (Voltaren), have immediate analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects and are relatively safe. 

Apart from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, the most commonly used drugs for arthritis include analgesics (such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), tramadol (Ultram) and narcotics containing oxycodone (Percocet, OxyContin) or hydrocodone), counterirritants that can modulate pain signals from the joint and reduce pain, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), biologics—which are genetically engineered drugs, and corticosteroids, which can reduce inflammation and suppress the immune system.

Surgical treatment of arthritis

Surgical treatment of arthritis depends on factors that are reviewed on a case by case scenario. The biggest advantage of joint surgery is the alleviation of the pain experienced by patients.  There are two indications for choosing the surgical option. The first is an incapacitating disability, which includes the involvement one or two important joints. The second indication is infection caused by inflammation and wearing away of bone and cartilage, which includes the removal of the infectious part. 

Dietary and herbal treatment of arthritis

Non-allopathic approaches, such as natural remedies, can include dietary and herbal treatments. Diet recommendations include eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, intake of whole grains, reducing sugar and fats, and eating foods with omega 3 fatty acids, which can include oily fish like trout and salmon. Other foods that can help include nuts and seeds, beans and olive oil. 

Other treatment of arthritis

Other treatments of arthritis include regular yoga, walking and weight bearing exercises. At the start, these may cause pain and difficulty for patients, but they can have a beneficial impact in the long-term. You can consult a health care professional to advise you regarding these activities. 

Prevention and precautions of arthritis

To reduce chances of getting arthritis, some precautions and preventions must be taken into account. These can include protecting your joints from over-exertion or unnecessary pressure, maintaining a balanced diet to ensure bone and muscle strength, exercising regularly, and controlling your weight to help lessen the stress or strain on the joints, especially on the knees.

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