7124583arthritis

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Arthritis Causes, symptoms and treatment

Arthritis

Treatments

Arthritis causes joint pain and stiffness. It is a common condition in women over 40, but anyone can get it.

Causes Arthritis is cased by wear and tear on the joints. It can happen at a younger age if you fractured or injured your bones or joints.

Repetitive movements—like gripping, twisting or turning objects with your thumb and fingers can make arthritis worse.

Symptoms to watch for • • • •

Swelling of the joints Pain in the joints Dropping items Thumb or fingers that become stiff and deformed

Osteoarthritis

Normal joint Muscle

Bursa Synovial fluid

Eroded cartilage

Synovial memberane Joint capsule Tendon Cartilage Bone ends rub together

Nonsurgical treatments If caught early, arthritis can respond to nonsurgical treatment.

Splinting — Your doctor or therapist may fit you with a splint to wear temporarily to protect your joints while you are using them. This helps reduce inflammation, pain and prevent deformation, as well as provide support for the involved joints.

Injections — In addition to splinting, your doctor may inject cortisone or another antiinflammatory medicine into the inflamed joint.

Cortisone relieves inflammation and pain.

Therapy — Your doctor may refer you to therapy.

Treatment may include joint protection, flexibility, pain relief techniques and gentle strengthening, in addition to splinting.

Topical OTC medicine — Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines include Aspercreme®, Capzasin® and Zostrix®.

Paraffin dip — Paraffin provides a moist heat to minimize pain. Paraffin units are available over the counter.

Surgical treatments If you still have pain after nonsurgical treatments, your doctor might perform surgery to rebuild the arthritic joint. You can usually go home the same day. After you heal from surgery, you will do exercises that help you regain strength and movement in you affected joint.

Education • Joint protection— using adaptive equipment to minimize unnecessary stress on joints. For example, built up handles for utensils, built up key, dycem to open jars.

• Energy conservation • Pain relief techniques • Light strengthening progression