Arthritis

Do you have trouble moving around or feel pain and stiffness in your body, you could have arthritis. In the majority of cases arthritis causes pain and swelling in the joints.

Eventually a swollen joint can suffer severe damage. In some cases, arthritis can cause problems in the patient's eye, skin or other organs.

Arthritis is not a single disease - it is a term that covers over 100 medical conditions. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and generally affects elderly patients. Some forms of arthritis can affect people at a very early age.

What causes Arthritis???

There is something goes wrong with the joint(s). What goes wrong depends on what type of arthritis you have. It could be that the cartilage is wearing away, a lack of fluid, autoimmunity (your body attacking itself), infection, or a combination of many factors.

Type of Arthritis..

There are over 100 types of arthritis.

Osteoarthritis

With osteoarthritis, the cartilage loses its elasticity. If the cartilage is stiff it becomes damaged more easily. The cartilage, which acts as a shock absorber, will gradually wear away in some areas. As the cartilage becomes damaged tendons and ligaments become stretched, causing pain. Eventually the bones may rub against each other causing very severe pain.

Rheumatoid arthritis

This is an inflammatory form of arthritis. The synovial membrane (synovium) is attacked, resulting in swelling and pain. If left untreated the arthritis can lead to deformity.

Rheumatoid arthritis is significantly more common in women than men and generally strikes when the patient is aged between 40 and 60. However, children and much older people may also be affected.

During the first ten years after diagnosis, patients with rheumatoid arthritis have a higher risk of blood clots.

Infectious arthritis (septic arthritic)

Infectious arthritis is an infection in the synovial fluid and tissues of a joint. It is usually caused by bacteria, but could also be caused by fungi or viruses.

Bacteria, fungi or viruses may spread through the bloodstream from infected tissue nearby, and infect a joint.

Most susceptible people are those who already have some form of arthritis and develop an infection that travels in the bloodstream.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA)

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a type of arthritis that affects a person aged 16 or less. JRA can be various forms of arthritis; it basically means that a child has it.

How to treat Arthritis?

Physical therapy and occupational therapy help maintain joint mobility and range of motion. 

The impact of diet, exercise and bodyweight

Experts say that eating a well-balanced diet is vital when you have arthritis. Not only will you be receiving critical nutrients, you will also be either maintaining or arriving more quickly at a healthy bodyweight. If you are overweight you will be adding extra pressure on weight-bearing joints. Many patients have found that losing just a few pounds made a significant difference to their quality of life.

Doctors and nutritionists are more frequently advising arthritis patients to keep sugary and/or fatty foods to a minimum - such as red meat, cream and cheese. You should make sure you are eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, as well as whole grains.

Omega-3 essential fatty acids have been shown to relieve some extent the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis⁷. A common source of Omega-3 fatty acids is oily fish, such as sardines, herring, trout, and salmon.

Many of us tend to place large portions on our plate. If you reduce the size of the portions you may lose weight more effectively. Make sure that vegetables and fruit make up a large part of your portion.

Although arthritis can make daily tasks more difficult and exhausting, there are many techniques and therapies, which added together, can give you a much better quality life, compared to no therapy at all.

It is important that people with arthritis seek medical health and treatment. Although there is no cure for arthritis, there is a lot you can do to minimize its overall effects on your everyday life.

Salam Sayang

Zalmin Zakaria