5 Symptoms of Arthritis and How to Deal With Them?

Arthritis is a commonly used term. People generally tend to use this word to describe pain, swelling or stiffness in their joints. While it can be true that one might be suffering from Arthritis, it's not the same case for everyone as Arthritis isn't a single condition.

Instead, it has various types, each with different sets of causes, remedies and symptoms of Arthritis. In this joint problem, the key point is to find the right cause of the pain because without it finding the correct remedy would be difficult.

Regardless of age, this joint issue can affect anyone but is generally common in elderly people. Arthritis can make life tougher but with the right approach, your symptoms can be managed.

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis is a term used to describe the swelling or inflammation occurring in one or more joints, further leading to pain and stiffness. Along with the joints, it also affects the tissues that surround the joint, and other connective tissues.

Causes of Arthritis

Arthritis is of various types, and finding the causes of each one can be a tedious task. The different types and forms of arthritis that we know affect different parts of the body. However, a few causes might be common in all of them which include-

• Age - As we grow old, our bones start weakening, and so do our joints due to performing all the movements and load carrying over the years. Hence, making them prone to Arthritis and other related issues.
• Excessive weight - Being overweight puts extra stress on load-carrying joints, leading to more excessive wear and tear than normal.
• Injuries - Any type of injury, whatever the intensity, can cause joint damage, leading to the inception of several conditions.
• Heavy Workouts - Actions like heavy weight lifting or repetitive movements like bending or squats involve the use of the same joints regularly, leading to cause excessive stress or even an injury.

Symptoms of arthritis

Like causes, different types of arthritis showcase different symptoms. Out of which 5 common ones are -

1. Swelling
2. Pain
3. Warmth and Tenderness
4. Chronic Fatigue
5. Morning Joint Stiffness

Types of Arthritis

Arthritis is a broad term under which several joint conditions can be included. A few common ones include-

1. Osteoarthritis - One of the most common types of Arthritis, it affects the joints when they are overused, which usually happens with age but can also occur due to an injury or because of obesity.

2. Rheumatoid Arthritis- An autoimmune form of arthritis in which the body's immune system attacks the joints, causing inflammation and joint damage.
3. Psoriatic Arthritis - The inflammation of the skin is known as psoriasis, and when the same people start experiencing inflammation in their joints, it is known as Psoriatic Arthritis.
4. Gout - This term is used to define the excessive build-up of uric acid in your joints, mostly your big toe or any other joints of your foot.
5. Lupus- Another autoimmune type of arthritis in which the body's immune system starts attacking its joints instead of viruses, leading to pain and inflammation in several joints of the body

Ways to Deal with symptoms of Arthritis

In case, you are experiencing any of the above types of arthritis, you must need a professional’s assistance and the right medication.
Besides, some of your precautions and remedies that can help with symptoms of arthritis are-

• Maintaining a healthy weight which means trying to lose extra pounds off your body as it will help reduce the excessive stress and strain on your joints.
• Exercising will keep your joints flexible and might help ease pain and stiffness.
• Trying out herbal/ayurvedic methods for pain relief, such as getting a massage with ayurvedic oil for joint pain
• Use heating pads or cold treatments (like an ice pack)
• Accessories like knee caps and back support belts can also help with low to mild intensity pain.

Dr. Ortho for Arthritis Pain Relief

The ayurvedic way is a safe and easy way of getting relief from arthritis as it targets symptoms like inflammation and helps to reduce Arthritis-related pain. Dr. Ortho offers some good products with their ayurvedic pain care range. The Dr. Ortho ointment and ayurvedic oil for joint pain are prepared with natural herbs and thus, help with joint pain without any side effects.
Dr. Ortho also offers additional products like their lumbo sacral support belt, back support pillow and Knee support that work well for joint pain.

FAQs

Q. What are the early warning signs of arthritis?

Ans. A few early warning signs that might point toward arthritis are-
Your joints getting inflamed, followed by numbness or tingling sensations
Constant feeling of tiredness/fatigue
Swelling and stiffness in your joints

Q. What does arthritis pain feel like?

Ans. This can differ from person to person, but often it is a feeling of a dull ache, burning sensation or soreness in your joints.

Q. How do you check if you have arthritis?

Ans. For an accurate diagnosis, visiting a doctor would probably be the best option. Still, if you want to perform a self-diagnosis first, you can look out for the following signs of Arthritis-

1. Having trouble moving a joint
2. Inflammation and redness in that area
3. Pain, which can either come and or go or remain constant
4. Stiffness in your joints, especially after waking up in the morning

Q. What is the fastest way to cure arthritis?

Ans. There are no fast ways or shortcuts to curing arthritis as it cannot be cured completely but can be managed effectively to its symptoms. Taking warm showers or hot compression, using gel ice packs, massaging and performing exercises that focus on your joints would be effective.

Q. What is the main cause of arthritis?

Ans. Generally, it is due to the gradual wear and tear of joints due to the age factor. Other than that, getting injured, autoimmune disorders and weakness in the body can also be the main cause of arthritis.