Arthritis is a debilitating inflammatory disease that affects the joints. It is regarded as one of the commonest conditions that affects people over 40 years of age. In fact, it is estimated that over 40 million Americans presently suffer from one form of arthritis or the other. Aside from being so prevalent, arthritis exists in different forms and presents so many different symptoms that it could be hard to determine what type of arthritis one is suffering from. Medical professionals say that over 100 different forms of arthritis exist, it would take a physician to diagnose arthritis and also the form of arthritis you are suffering from.

The signs and symptoms presented by arthritis are as varied as the forms of arthritis that are known. Some of the first symptoms associated with arthritis include things like; knees cracking when you stand up, general pain or swelling around joints that lasts for more than two weeks, pain in the joints that increases as you move, increased stiffness in the joints when you wake up in the morning, and your joints may appear red and feel warm to the touch.

Besides these general signs and symptoms, each form of arthritis tends to present a peculiar symptom. However, three forms of arthritis are found to be more prevalent than the others and these are; osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout.

Osteoarthritis is normally caused by the breaking down of joint cartilages. In the body joints, bones that meet at every joint are usually sandwiched by soft cartilages and joint fluids to avoid friction and reduce wear and tear as the joint bones move over each other. When the cartilages break down therefore, bones of the joint rub on each other with every movement, causing the tearing bone associated with this disease. Osteoarthritis normally begins in one joint and typically affects just one joint. It does not affect internal organs. The first sign of osteoarthritis seem to be stiffness in the joint when waking up in

Rheumatoid arthritis, on the other hand, tends to affect more than one joint in the body in a symmetrical pattern. Unlike osteoathritis, rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease and can affect other organs of the body. To make matters worse, symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis tend to appear then disappear after some time. There is no established evidence with respect to the exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis, however, it has been suggested that bacteria, fungi, and infections may cause it. There are also reasons to believe that rheumatoid arthritis is a hereditary condition. It is also believed that certain triggers, such as poor nutrition, stress, and infection can bring on rheumatoid arthritis. Some of the early signs of rheumatoid arthritis include:

- painful and swollen joints
- muscle pain and aches
- extreme tiredness and fatigue
- low grade fever
- appetite loss
- redness and heat at the joint site

There are a lot of things you can do to relieve pain and other symptoms of arthritis, from over the counter drugs to prescriptions drugs, lifestyle changes and probably surgery; in severe cases. There's a lot of debate on the overall effect of diets on arthritis, but what is unarguable is the fact that certain food substances, either due to allergies or content, aggravate the pains and flare ups of some forms of arthritis. All you need do is research which food is good for you and which is bad, just by paying attention to your body. Weight also plays a vital role in arthritis. The weight of the body is carried by the joints. Therefore, overweight puts more stress on the joints and can aggravate arthritis. Also, several food supplements are known to alleviate the pains of arthritis, when taken in the right dosage.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Arthritis.
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