Arthritis Relief Advice

What is arthritis and what causes it? There are ineffective that save treatments for relief. Arthritis is actually a family of diseases, with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis being the most comment. There is often confusion between the two, which adds to the confusion of what to do for treatment and even prevention.

Osteoarthritis or degenerative arthritis earns its nickname "the wear and tear arthritis". It usually affects the larger joints, such as hips and knees, but can also involve the hands and fingers. The pain associated with osteal arthritis is generally caused by the deterioration of the cartilage that cushions the joints.

The most common type of joint disease, osteoarthritis is often associated with aging. Rheumatoid arthritis, on the other hand, is an autoimmune disease, where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues, resulting in a joint inflammation and tissue destruction. Both types of arthritis cause stiffness, tenderness and joint inflammation. For some people, this pain becomes severe, causing limited motion, which often adversely affect quality of life. Obesity exacerbates both types by placing additional stress on the joints. Even a few extra pounds can't make symptoms worse.

Diet affects both types of arthritis, but more so for rheumatoid. This is important to know. There are studies showing potentially deadly side effects of prescription drugs commonly used for the treatment of arthritis, such as Vioxx and Celebrex and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Because of these studies, many doctors have stopped using these drugs. The good news is there are safer and more effective treatments to reduce the inflammation that causes the pain associated with arthritis.


By Robin Larson

Check Out the Related Article : All You Need to Know About Hepatitis C