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The Insiders Guide to Arthritis


Arthritis causes limited mobility in the joints as it usually causes swelling, inflammation, and intense pain. There are multiple varieties of arthritis as some people experience it in the hands while others have it in the knees and back. No matter where your arthritis pain is, you need to seek out treatment methods for it before it causes you to struggle with your daily activities.

Seek treatment...before it affects daily activities.



Understanding arthritis

It is common to experience arthritis the older you get. It can affect several different areas of the body and it is a chronic condition. While you may never see a symptom until you are 60, it is common for people to develop signs of arthritis at a younger age. The symptoms in your 20’s or younger may not seem that bad but they can come sporadically throughout your lifetime until you reach an older age where they cause numbness and intense pain.


With arthritis, it is rare for the swelling to go away in the joints. This is because the body detects a problem and it sends in the cells from the immune system to fight off the “infection” it believes is found in the joints. Since the cells and tissue are damaged, there isn’t a lot the immune system can do to fight the problem and you will be left with inflammation. Unfortunately the cells the immune system sends in will also become damaged due to arthritis, thereby leaving you with swelling and pain.


What is rheumatoid arthritis?

A number of people suffer from a condition known as rheumatoid arthritis. How does this form of arthritis differ from others? It can vary from person to person but it usually causes limited mobility, intense pain, and even deformities. Women suffer from rheumatoid arthritis 3 times more than men do and it usually attacks women before the age of 50. Rheumatoid arthritis usually attacks the finger joints, wrists, toes, and knees. Wearing arthritis gloves and wrist splints can help with the pain you have in the hands, but it may not be enough to soothe the pain throughout the day. Consider using hot and cold therapy on the hands and wrists.




 Rheumatoid arthritis suffers commonly experience symptoms of stiffness, swelling, and pain throughout the day. You may have other problems that develop as well such as loss of appetite, fever, and fatigue. Without proper treatment, you can even have additional health problems like heart damage, lung damage, loss of vision, and nerve damage. There are outside elements that can cause the pain to get worse such as stress, cold weather, hot weather, and exercise. Sometimes the painful symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis will go away, but they will eventually return no matter what you do.

You must meet with a doctor if you have rheumatoid arthritis because it will destroy the joints. Calcium supplements are required to help the cartilage and bones as rheumatoid arthritis will infect and attack the bones. Doctors have different ways to treat rheumatoid arthritis using aspirin and other drugs that are more aggressive against this condition.


What steps can I take against arthritis?

In addition to meeting with your doctor, there are some other things you can do to help with arthritis. Rest, heat, and physical therapy and exercise can help you reclaim some of the mobility in the joints and muscles. You also need to keep your weight under control as obesity and being overweight will place more pressure and pain on the joints, leaving you with swelling and more pain. Increase your intake of fish or take Omega-3 supplements as many people have found it helps to reduce the inflammation in the joints.


About The CareGiver Partnership. The CareGiver Partnership helps caregivers and their loved ones with answers to their caregiving questions, including information about home health care products and supplies, from our Wisconsin-based team of Product Specialists who are all current or former caregivers. The company’s Web site provides the largest online library of resources on subjects most important to caregivers — from arthritis to assisted living, and Parkinson’s to prostate cancer — as well as access to more than 3,000 home care products for incontinence, skin care, mobility, home safety and daily living aids. The CareGiver Partnership was founded in 2004 by Lynn Wilson of Neenah, Wisc. Visit http://www.caregiverpartnership.com to learn more or call 1-800-985-1353.

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