Everytime we sit, walk, play or do any other activity, we use our joints, muscles and bones. Joints form the connections between bones and without them, movement would be impossible. Any damage or injury to the joints can interfere with our movement and cause immense pain.
Arthritis is one of the conditions that causes painful joints and people suffering may experience inflammation of a single or multiple joints and have trouble moving. It is more common in women as compared to men, and mostly develops in adults aged over 65.
There are more than 100 different types of arthritis, and its treatment is basically dependent on the type. Joint problems are a common health concern for Indians, and arthritis alone has affected 180 million people.
What are the symptoms to look out for?
Signs and symptoms of arthritis involve the joints and may depend on the type of arthritis you have.
Pain
Swelling
Redness
Stiffness
Decreased range of motion
What to do if you experience the above symptoms?
You shouldn’t ignore and prolong your visit to the doctor if you experience any of the symptoms stated above. Your doctor will conduct an exam to evaluate the joint fluids, warm or red spots, and mobility of your joints. By carrying these tests, the type of arthritis can be determined. Imaging scans like X-ray, MRI and CT scans may also be suggested to rule out other causes of your pain.
What are your treatment options?
Whichever type of arthritis is, your treatment is aimed at pain reduction and to prevent any further injury to the joint. To increase mobility and lessen your pain, your doctor may prescribe you a combination of below options:
Medication:
Few medications such as analgesics, nonsteroidal drugs, creams, immunosuppressants help control pain and reduce inflammations
Surgery:
There are surgical options that can replace your joint with an artificial one, and are mostly carried out to replace your hip or knee joints. For fingers or wrist, joint fusion is performed to lock the ends of your bones
Physical Therapy:
One of the core component of recovery, physical therapy aims at strengthening your joint muscles to with regular exercises
What are the lifestyle changes that can help?
Maintain a healthy weight – If you’re obese, losing some weight may reduce the stress on your weight bearing joints, may increase mobility and limit future joint injury.
Healthy diet – Consuming a healthy diet is important to lose weight. Choosing a diet with antioxidants like fresh fruits, veggies and herbs may help reduce inflammation. You could also include fish and nuts in your diet.
Exercise regularly – To keep joints flexible, regular activity is important. Swimming is often considered a good exercise for arthritis as the buoyancy of water reduces stress on the joints.
Heat and cold – Heating pads and cold ice packs may also help to relieve the pain caused due to arthritis.
World Arthritis Day 2020
World Arthritis Day is observed on October 12th everywhere to address the prevalence of arthritis, raise awareness among the general public about its symptoms, treatments and preventive measures so that they live a life of informed healthy choices.
This year’s theme is “It’s in your hands, take action”, encouraging everyone to take action and make a difference to the quality of life of the people suffering from Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases (RMDs).
Disclaimer: Indian Health Bureau does not claim any responsibility for the information contained in this article. The information may not hold good for everyone. The post is for general awareness only and should not be construed as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Please consult your doctor to know what is good for you.
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