Arthritis Explained - A Guide

Are you looking for an Arthritis Cure? Arthritis usually means pain in the joints but it is a disease of the muscles and the bones so there could also be swelling and pain all over. Each bone is covered with a living tissue that covers the ends of the bones and guards them from rubbing against each other; this tissue is known as the Cartilage. Cartilage is made of living cells known as chondrocytes and this tissue resembles many of the other human organs. The chondrocytes die, they are replaced with new ones and the life cycle goes on. This article will focus on explaining arthritis versus arthritis cures.

However, over an extended period of time, the inflammation can kill more of the cartilage cells than the body is able to replace. This happens when the body is not healthy and suffers from malnutrition, injury can also be another cause. The condition causes damage where instability, deformities and joint weakness can obstruct daily life. Generally, arthritis can be treated with physical therapy, medication, and changes to the lifestyle the individual is used to living. If all zero or less intrusive interventions give no relief then as a last option joint replacement surgery can be used.

Arthritis is divided into two main categories, i.e. localized and generalized depending on areas affected; it is further subdivided into sub-categories. The two localized conditions are bursitis and tendonitis; they affect the soft tissues surrounding the bones and joints. It could just be that the localized conditions could manifest themselves in just one of two joints being affected. It could also be that the patient is affected in a more general sense with no arthritis inflammation or signs of swelling. Fibromyalgia, even though it isn't associated with joint damage, is a very common form which can be placed under this particular category.

The next condition in the second sub category causes inflammation which affects the whole body. Gout, psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are examples of this condition. Still other generalized situations include polymyositis, involving muscles, systemic lupus erythematosus involving the skin, kidneys and or other organs and vasculitis where any organ is involved.

A person can have more than one type of arthritis and it includes more than 100 medical conditions that affect approximately 46 million adults and 300,000 children in the United States. Osteoarthritis is a condition mostly noticed in adults over 60 years, however, it can start at infancy too. The number of people suffering out of this condition is increasing proportionally with the increasing average age of the American population; with old age setting in people suffering with arthritis is increasing day by day.

Arthritis and related illnesses are the cause of major disability in the U.S. and costs over 124 billion dollars a year in medical care and indirect expenses. By taking the time to follow a couple of simple steps, most individuals can help to prevent osteoarthritis: The ability to maintain the appropriate weight and consume fresh vegetables and fruits are a really good source of vitamins D and C. Consumption of calcium is very important, adults must consume about 1000-1500mg calcium every day, exercising daily is a must and one must avoid injuries that may damage the joints.