Arthritis and Joint Pain

Arthritis Joints are highly complex structures composed of a number of connective tissues including bone, articular cartilage, and peri-articular soft tissue, all of which contribute to normal joint function and undergo changes in structure and metabolism in disease. While your physician is best equipped to be more specific (such as detailed history & lab tests), rheumatoid arthritis and gout arthritis joints are red, warm, and spongy. Yet sometimes psoriatic arthritis joints are less tender than rheumatoid arthritis joints, so you may have joint deformity with psoriatic arthritis without significant pain.

Arthritis:

Arthritis is a problem that causes damage to the normal joint surfaces. It mutilans (a long-term psoriatic arthritis in which the joints are severely damaged and deformities can be seen, especially in the hands, fingers, and feet) this may occur in as many as 16% of people with psoriatic arthritis and severe pain can be associated with it. The disease occurs before psoriasis in 52% of affected children. Arthritis that affects many joints symmetrically is common with psoriatic arthritis. It is an inflammatory disorder of the joints that may produce pain and swelling that lasts a lifetime and may require surgery.  The disease is a slowly progressive condition and whilst treatment and surgery may help to relieve symptoms and slow the progression, the damage that is already done cannot be reversed.

Pain Treatment:

Warmth, such as a hot bath, can often help to ease the pain. Changes in barometric pressure may increase stiffness in the joints and trigger subtle movements that heighten pain response in already sensitized joints. If the barometric pressure drops, tissues can become more inflamed, causing more pain. Seasonal weather patterns may influence mood in some people, indirectly affecting their pain perception. Nevertheless, it does appear that certain people are weather-sensitive and say they suffer from more intense pain and greater difficulty performing tasks in particular weather conditions. While some studies of the link between arthritis pain and the weather have been inconclusive, others seem to have found an association. Moving to a warmer climate is not always the answer to improve arthritis pain as the body is said to establish equilibrium with the local climate, so that relative changes in weather may trigger an increase in pain regardless of the actual weather.

The Care of Arthritis:

If you are having symptoms of arthritis, see your healthcare provider for a proper evaluation, diagnosis, and a treatment plan. The information provided in this article is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional. Thus, persistent back pain requires careful evaluation. It is imperative that you take good care of your joints and overall bone structure if you want to enjoy life. Always consult your own doctor or medical healthcare provider for any care and treatment.

Joint:

Joint Supplements consist of glucosamine and chondroitin, two of the major building blocks of normal cartilage. Joints are composed of two or more bones, cartilage that cushions and separates the bones, and ligaments that attach the bones together. Joints become dry and swollen and may also feel cold to the touch. Joints are surrounded by a capsule lined with a membrane called synovium. Joints consist of 2 or more bone surfaces. Joint fluid will keep the joints greased up, and will provide nutrients to the cartilage cells, and other structures in the joint. Joints can swell up, become inflamed, have severe pain in them and they become stiff as well.

Treatment Options:

Treatment options include: Anti-Inflammatory Medications these medications can help treat the pain of finger arthritis, and also help decrease inflammation and swelling around the joints. Treatment for most forms of arthritis includes medications, exercise, and rest.   The treatment for 'normal' arthritis due to wear and tear and injuries consists of 2 main ways: (1) repair of cartilage and improving joint fluid quality (2) controlling pain and inflammation in the joint. Treatment of one involves suppressing the immune system to reduce inflammation, while the other involves stimulating the immune system. Treatment by chiropractor can include ultrasound or low level laser to help reduce inflammation, electro therapy to strengthen weak muscles of the forearm, soft tissue massage to stretch contracted tissues and, of course, adjustments of the dysfunctional joints of the wrist. Early treatments of arthritis are focused on managing the symptoms in an effort to avoid surgery.  Treatment of joint stiffness and range of motion can be improved by ice and heat treatments.

Symptoms:

Symptoms of finger arthritis include: Joint pain, Swelling, Stiffness, and Loss of motion. Patients with osteoarthritis often develop lumps or nodules around the knuckles of the fingers. Symptoms of joint pain, color changes of the fingers with cold exposure, thickening of the skin and muscle weakness have been described in these patients. Symptoms of arthritis can be from hardly any symptoms at all, to severe pain and functional loss of limbs.  Other symptoms include: numbness, tingling and a burning pain in the hand or area. Symptoms can arrive very suddenly or slowly, and the arthritis disease has various times when it is bothering you and periods where you are not bothered.

Exercise:

Exercise in these situations must be thoughtfully prescribed; excessive motion of an acutely inflamed joint can increase the inflammatory response and cause more damage than good.  Exercise also improves balance, prevents falls and also reduces the risk of fracture (due to increased bone density). Exercise also helps to prevent osteoporosis a condition that's more likely to occur in women who have rheumatoid arthritis. Exercise not only lowers blood sugar but keeps your weight down and improves blood circulation. Exercise is good for your heart, lungs, muscles and bones. Exercise can help you feel less pain sometimes. Exercise can help you at any age.

Conclusion:

Arthritis is a very painful disease that slowly creeps up on you and increases as you get older. The disease can spread throughout your body, Warmth such as a hot bath, exercise, and ice & heat treatments are good to relieve the pain sometimes. And also consult you doctor or healthcare provider before starting an exercise plan.