Tag Archives: arthritis

Arthritis Symptoms And The Lifestyle Challenge

10 Wednesday Feb 2016

Posted by in Beauty

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Rheumatoid Arthritis or RA is an autoimmune disease, which is characterized by inflammation in the lining of the joints and only affects 1 to 2 percent of the population.

But the life altering effects of this disease can be quite invasive. If you suspect that you may have Rheumatoid Arthritis or if you have already been diagnosed with such, it is important to clearly understand the most common symptoms for this condition so that you can most effectively participate in the management of your health care.

RA can develop in children, teens, young adults and even those in middle age. Currently research indicates that women are more often diagnosed with RA than men.

Early symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can at times be tough to diagnose since the early symptoms can go in and out of remission making it hard for your physician to see the physical symptoms of what you are describing and have been experiencing. You might consider keeping a log of your symptoms so that your healthcare provider can see the pattern.

While symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can differ from person to person, there is currently no single medical test that will definitively diagnose rheumatoid arthritis.

Most often physicians report that patients commonly hear a complaint of repetitive joint pain that frequently occurs every day. The pain and joint limitations can cause your day to be interrupted and tough to manage. RA can certainly cause trouble in the basic management of your daily activities. It can give you a challenge trying to manage even the most basic of tasks.

RA symptoms often include joint stiffness in the morning in and around the joints that persist for more than thirty minutes, joint swelling in the wrists, knuckles, or in the individual finger joints. Many patients also report a feeling of heat over the irritated joints. Often RA can invade other joints, such as the jaw, elbows, shoulders, feet and ankles.

While there is currently no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis, with aggressive and early treatment the inflammation and pain associated with RA can be better controlled. This early and aggressive treatment is also shown to decrease and often stop the joint destruction of rheumatoid arthritis.

With all the new advances in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, there is joy for patients in knowing that there is now more hope than in previous decades.

Learning to understand and identify the common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis is the key in actively participating in your own health care.

After all, your health is worth your time to get educated!

If you want to know more, here is an infographic made by Bathing Solutions with 10 Surprising Facts About Arthritis:

10_Facts_Arthritis

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Exercise and Arthritis

11 Thursday Dec 2014

Posted by in Health-Fitness

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The most common form of arthritis affecting people today is osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease and it is the biggest cause of disability among adults. But this number is expected to skyrocket in coming years as the growing numbers of baby boomers retire. Still, young people can also acquire osteoarthritis from severe joint injuries but it remains a major health concern for older persons.

Investing a little time in developing a good weight-bearing low-impact exercise and stretching plan can add up to great results when it comes to staving off arthritis pain. Strong muscles help protect the joints from wear and tear, and the movement keeps joints flexible.

Consequently, preventing arthritis is not an exact science, but physicians have discovered a few ways to lower your risk. Here is how:

1. Do not weight around

The single most important measure anyone can take to prevent osteoarthritis of the knee is to lose weight if they are overweight. Extra weight puts extra stress on your knees. That extra pressure can slowly but surely erode the cartilage in your knees, leading to arthritis.

2. Stretch those muscles

Any kind of stretching is good as long as you do not bounce, which can lead to a muscle pull.

Try to hold a slow, steady stretch for 15 to 20 seconds, then relax and repeat. It is best to flex up by stretching before any exercise, especially running and walking. But it is also a good idea to stretch each day. Ask your doctor to teach you stretches that focus on potential arthritis trouble spots, such as the knees or the lower back.

3. Walking is always the best exercise

Take a good long walk at least three times a week or participate in a step-aerobics or low-impact exercise routine maximum results. There is no proof that running is bad for the joints, but remember, it may aggravate an injury if you already have one. Just remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.

The bottom line is that of all the healthful habits, exercise is the most important. This is because people are designed to be active. Hence, it is really important for people to exercise in order to stay healthy and keep those joints free from wear and tear.

Just keep in mind that the unexercised body, even if free from the symptoms of illness or problems like arthritis, is not at its full potential.

You should really check out this interesting infographic made by the Stannah Stairlifts, because learning to understand and identify the common symptoms of arthritis is the key in actively participating in your own health care.

Stannah_Osteoarthritis_V1 (2)