Arthritis is a physical condition where the affected individual experiences damage to some particular joints of the body. This physical condition is one of the leading causes of disability in a lot of people. There are several forms of arthritis that plague people. The common factor that is prevalent in all these forms is the damage to the joints and bones. Osteoarthritis is probably the most common form of this condition in the human race. The condition is commonly for men and women and also for those who are aged. This makes this condition all the more undesirable since older adults already have more difficulty with mobility without the threat of arthritis.
What Causes Arthritis?
This condition has different causes depending on what type is concerned. Age is a factor that figures commonly with some of the different types of arthritis but figure mainly with osteoarthritis. Other causes of this common form of arthritis are injuries or trauma to the joint or bone resulting to malformed growth afterwards. Infection that occurs to the joint can also cause this form of joint condition. Infection is also a cause for septic arthritis.
There is also another form of arthritis that is caused by an abnormality on the body where it attacks itself in self defense. Another cause for another form of this joint condition is the accumulation of crystals, like uric acid crystals or rhomboid crystals of calcium pyrophosphate.
Arthritis Treatment
The treatment of this condition usually varies depending on what type of condition it is and its causes. Usually occupational therapy works along with physical therapy. There may be pain involved especially with physical therapy. Depending on what form of arthritis is present; lifestyle change may also be included as treatment for it. For forms or types where joints are eroding or dissolving or may be severely deformed, joint replacement surgery may be necessary for normalcy.
Many doctors recommend regular exercise to prevent or at least prolong the time before the condition hits. Even when arthritis have set in an individual, regular exercise of the affected joints, as well as all other joints may have a suppressing effect that will promote less pain and more mobility.
Medication can also ease or alleviate the pain that often comes with the many forms of arthritis. Some doctors prescribe pain relief medication along with anti-inflammatory ones. Stronger pain relief medication may be necessary for some patients with low pain tolerance or more severe pain.
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