Rheumatoid Arthritis: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Causes And Remedies

One common kind of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis, in which the body launches an attack on its own joints. Like the less common psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid  arthritis is an autoimmune disorder, in which the body’s immune system goes haywire. Swelling of the joints, stiffness, pain and redness are among the well-known rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. It can also lead to the lining of the joints becoming thickened and in more advanced cases it can result in limited mobility.

Other Forms of Arthritis

On the other hand, an infection of the joints can lead to septic arthritis. Gouty arthritis arises when the body is unable to excrete uric acid, and the uric acid is deposited in the form of urate crystals in the joints.

The most common arthritic condition, however, is osteoarthritis, which is a degenerative disease of the joints that can often occur after trauma or hard impact to the joints. Osteoarthritis is also common among the aged.

Along this note, arthritis is also common as a secondary disease, or as the result of the presence of other diseases. For instance, systemic lupus erythematosus can lead to arthritis, as can hepatitis and inflammatory bowel disease.

Arthritis is common not only to humans. Feline arthritis and canine rheumatoid arthritis are also common, especially in large, heavy breeds of pets that have joints that need to support heavier bodies and bones. Some pet stores even carry arthritis medicine for dogs in order to meet the needs of the joints of man’s best friend.

How Arthritis is Diagnosed and Treated

Because many different diseases can mimic the effects of arthritis, doctors are very careful about making any rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis without conducting a battery of tests first. Doctors begin by taking a careful and thorough review of the patient’s medical history. This can include questions that take into account the history of the joint pain, when it started, what joints are involved, how long the pain lasts, and what often triggers the pain.

The doctor can then move on to a physical examination, which can confirm arthritis. X-rays are then taken to look at the extent of damage, and to see how far the disease has progressed.

Blood tests are also taken to confirm the diagnosis. Doctors will search for certain antibodies and factors that can point to arthritis. Once a diagnosis is made, doctors can prescribe methods for arthritis pain treatment. Treatment often includes physical therapy as a method to keep joints and muscles toned and working, and as an arthritis pain reliever. Doctors will often prescribe medication in order to keep the pain at a tolerable level.

Because uric acid crystals contribute to the pain and exacerbate the arthritic condition in gouty patients, such patients may be prescribed arthritis diets that will require patients to avoid high-protein and high-uric acid foods. Some natural arthritis treatments, such as better diets and therapeutic massages, are also common, although they have not yet been subjected to the scrutiny of scientific study. Also popular is the magnetic bracelet for arthritis, which has been claimed to increase circulation to facilitate the return of function to arthritic joints.

Doctors do not normally recommend arthritis natural cures without requesting patients to accompany such treatments with occupational and physical therapy. In extreme cases, doctors may need to carry out joint replacement surgery in order to relieve the more progressive kinds of arthritis. Arthroplasty is not only a painful procedure, it can be expensive, and patients need a long time to recover from it.

Whether patients are after home remedies for arthritis, or the most sophisticated medication to ease the pain brought about by the disease, the subject still needs to be studied in greater detail to find better ways to alleviate rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. In addition to this overview of arthritis, do your own research on the disease and what experiments laboratories all over the world are carrying out to help people understand arthritis better.