About arthritis and its treatment

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About Arthritis and Its Treatment Arthritis refers to inflammation of the joints. Alternative treatments are gaining popularity as an effective way to treat arthritic symptoms and pain.

Arthritis refers to “joint inflammation”. The inflammation occurs at the point where two bones meet. Risk factors for this condition can be age, ethnicity, gender, family history, medical history, weakness, overweight/obesity, and joint trauma or infection.

Facts about Arthritis This complex group of musculoskeletal disorders can affect all age groups. Arthritis.org reports that two-thirds of people with arthritis are under the age of 65, including 300,000 children. Millions of Americans face the challenge of living with arthritis. Reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say that: • Arthritis is more common among adults who are obese than among those who are of normal weight or underweight.

• Arthritis is more common among women (24.3%) than men (18.7%) in every age group, and affects members of all racial and ethnic groups.

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• An estimated 27 million adults have doctor-diagnosed arthritis.

Types of Arthritis Arthritis has more than 100 forms. Some of the most common types of arthritis are: Osteoarthritis: Known as degenerative joint disease or “wear and tear” arthritis, osteoarthritis is the most common form of the disease in the United States. Overweight people are far more susceptible to this condition. This may result in loss of cartilage in the joints. Stiff joints are the major symptom of this type of arthritis.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: This condition is the result of an autoimmune disorder. The condition can affect joints in any part of the body including the hands, wrists and knees.

Extra blood flow causes the joints to become swollen and painful and in extreme cases can even permanently damage the joint. This inflammation can eventually damage cartilage and bone.

Gout Arthritis: Known as metabolic arthritis, this condition occurs when there is too much uric acid in the blood. Gout most often affects the big toe, knee, and wrist joints. Symptoms include night-time swelling, tenderness, redness, and sharp pain in the big toe.

Other types of arthritis include juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, infectious arthritis (septic) and hip bursitis. http://www.hqbk.com/

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Diagnosis and Treatment It is crucial to get arthritis diagnosed. Professional healthcare centers utilize a combination of diagnostic methods including physical examination, X-rays, MRI, CT scans, and ultrasound to detect loss of joint space, joint swelling and wearing down of the bone. Arthritis treatment aims at relieving symptoms, managing the pain and improving joint function. Conventional treatment includes the administration of anti-inflammation drugs and physiotherapy. Now, effective alternative treatments are available to manage this painful condition and prevent it from affecting the quality of life. Alternative treatments for arthritis include • Dietary supplements - Glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulfate and MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) • Hyaluronic acid joint injections- Synvisc, Hyalgan and Supartz • Weight loss programs – auricular therapy • Topical analgesics - Capsaicin creams • Electrotherapies – TENS units, IFC and GS Reliable rehabilitation centers provide customized arthritis pain management programs to help patients improve range of motion and restore normal function.

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