| Arthritis Joints are highly complex structures | | | | Joints become dry and swollen and may also feel cold |
| composed of a number of connective tissues | | | | to the touch. Joints are surrounded by a capsule lined |
| including bone, articular cartilage, and peri-articular soft | | | | with a membrane called synovium. Joints consist of 2 |
| tissue, all of which contribute to normal joint function | | | | or more bone surfaces. Joint fluid will keep the joints |
| and undergo changes in structure and metabolism in | | | | greased up, and will provide nutrients to the cartilage |
| disease. While your physician is best equipped to be | | | | cells, and other structures in the joint. Joints can swell |
| more specific (such as detailed history & lab | | | | up, become inflamed, have severe pain in them and |
| tests), rheumatoid arthritis and gout arthritis joints | | | | they become stiff as well. |
| are red, warm, and spongy. Yet sometimes psoriatic | | | | Treatment Options: |
| arthritis joints are less tender than rheumatoid | | | | Treatment options include: Anti-Inflammatory |
| arthritis joints, so you may have joint deformity with | | | | Medications these medications can help treat the pain |
| psoriatic arthritis without significant pain. | | | | of finger arthritis, and also help decrease inflammation |
| Arthritis: | | | | and swelling around the joints. Treatment for most |
| Arthritis is a problem that causes damage to the | | | | forms of arthritis includes medications, exercise, and |
| normal joint surfaces. It mutilans (a long-term psoriatic | | | | rest. The treatment for 'normal' arthritis due to wear |
| arthritis in which the joints are severely damaged and | | | | and tear and injuries consists of 2 main ways: (1) |
| deformities can be seen, especially in the hands, | | | | repair of cartilage and improving joint fluid quality (2) |
| fingers, and feet) this may occur in as many as 16% | | | | controlling pain and inflammation in the joint. |
| of people with psoriatic arthritis and severe pain can | | | | Treatment of one involves suppressing the immune |
| be associated with it. The disease occurs before | | | | system to reduce inflammation, while the other |
| psoriasis in 52% of affected children. Arthritis that | | | | involves stimulating the immune system. Treatment |
| affects many joints symmetrically is common with | | | | by chiropractor can include ultrasound or low level |
| psoriatic arthritis. It is an inflammatory disorder of the | | | | laser to help reduce inflammation, electro therapy to |
| joints that may produce pain and swelling that lasts a | | | | strengthen weak muscles of the forearm, soft tissue |
| lifetime and may require surgery. The disease is a | | | | massage to stretch contracted tissues and, of |
| slowly progressive condition and whilst treatment and | | | | course, adjustments of the dysfunctional joints of |
| surgery may help to relieve symptoms and slow the | | | | the wrist. Early treatments of arthritis are focused on |
| progression, the damage that is already done cannot | | | | managing the symptoms in an effort to avoid |
| be reversed. | | | | surgery. Treatment of joint stiffness and range of |
| Pain Treatment: | | | | motion can be improved by ice and heat treatments. |
| Warmth, such as a hot bath, can often help to ease | | | | Symptoms: |
| the pain. Changes in barometric pressure may | | | | Symptoms of finger arthritis include: Joint pain, |
| increase stiffness in the joints and trigger subtle | | | | Swelling, Stiffness, and Loss of motion. Patients with |
| movements that heighten pain response in already | | | | osteoarthritis often develop lumps or nodules around |
| sensitized joints. If the barometric pressure drops, | | | | the knuckles of the fingers. Symptoms of joint pain, |
| tissues can become more inflamed, causing more | | | | color changes of the fingers with cold exposure, |
| pain. Seasonal weather patterns may influence mood | | | | thickening of the skin and muscle weakness have |
| in some people, indirectly affecting their pain | | | | been described in these patients. Symptoms of |
| perception. Nevertheless, it does appear that certain | | | | arthritis can be from hardly any symptoms at all, to |
| people are weather-sensitive and say they suffer | | | | severe pain and functional loss of limbs. Other |
| from more intense pain and greater difficulty | | | | symptoms include: numbness, tingling and a burning |
| performing tasks in particular weather conditions. | | | | pain in the hand or area. Symptoms can arrive very |
| While some studies of the link between arthritis pain | | | | suddenly or slowly, and the arthritis disease has |
| and the weather have been inconclusive, others | | | | various times when it is bothering you and periods |
| seem to have found an association. Moving to a | | | | where you are not bothered. |
| warmer climate is not always the answer to improve | | | | Exercise: |
| arthritis pain as the body is said to establish | | | | Exercise in these situations must be thoughtfully |
| equilibrium with the local climate, so that relative | | | | prescribed; excessive motion of an acutely inflamed |
| changes in weather may trigger an increase in pain | | | | joint can increase the inflammatory response and |
| regardless of the actual weather. | | | | cause more damage than good. Exercise also |
| The Care of Arthritis: | | | | improves balance, prevents falls and also reduces the |
| If you are having symptoms of arthritis, see your | | | | risk of fracture (due to increased bone density). |
| healthcare provider for a proper evaluation, diagnosis, | | | | Exercise also helps to prevent osteoporosis a |
| and a treatment plan. The information provided in this | | | | condition that's more likely to occur in women who |
| article is intended to be informative and educational | | | | have rheumatoid arthritis. Exercise not only lowers |
| and is not a replacement for professional medical | | | | blood sugar but keeps your weight down and |
| evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a | | | | improves blood circulation. Exercise is good for your |
| healthcare professional. Thus, persistent back pain | | | | heart, lungs, muscles and bones. Exercise can help |
| requires careful evaluation. It is imperative that you | | | | you feel less pain sometimes. Exercise can help you |
| take good care of your joints and overall bone | | | | at any age. |
| structure if you want to enjoy life. Always consult | | | | Conclusion: |
| your own doctor or medical healthcare provider for | | | | Arthritis is a very painful disease that slowly creeps |
| any care and treatment. | | | | up on you and increases as you get older. The |
| Joint: | | | | disease can spread throughout your body, Warmth |
| Joint Supplements consist of glucosamine and | | | | such as a hot bath, exercise, and ice & heat |
| chondroitin, two of the major building blocks of | | | | treatments are good to relieve the pain sometimes. |
| normal cartilage. Joints are composed of two or more | | | | And also consult you doctor or healthcare provider |
| bones, cartilage that cushions and separates the | | | | before starting an exercise plan. |
| bones, and ligaments that attach the bones together. | | | | |