Arthritis Healing Center » Arthritis Symptom

Know How to Identify An Arthritis Symptom

admin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 22:49:45 +0000

There comes a time in everyone’s life when age starts to creep up on us. In some cases, the amount of damage we’ve done to our bodies in our youth has a way of coming back to haunt us, especially when it comes to certain types of arthritis.
As we grow older, most people wake a little stiffer in the morning and experience typical aches and pains, but how do you know if it’s arthritis that’s troubling you? Knowing how to identify an arthritis symptom can take a load of worry off your mind.
First of all, it’s important to know what arthritis is. It’s not just a disease that strikes old people. Many children, teens and young adults are diagnosed with some form of arthritis every day. While over 40 million adults suffer from one form of arthritis in the United States, nearly a quarter million of those are children.
As a matter of fact, most people who suffer from arthritis are under the age of 65, and nearly 60 percent of those are women. In addition, there are over 100 different forms of the disease, though the two most common, and generally known, are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
An arthritis symptom can be one issue, or a multitude of issues. For most, the classic symptom is joint stiffness, followed by swelling, redness and even warmth in the affected joint area. For some, these symptoms may be fleeting and may occur more often in cooler weather than warm. For some, joints may be painful and tender to the touch, while for others, pain is felt as a persistent ache that lingers for days.
Because arthritis is a rheumatic disease, arthritis, especially rheumatoid arthritis, can affect more than just the bones, muscles and other connective tissues to involve major body organs. For some, arthritis symptom signs may also include fever, as well as an unexplained weight loss, fatigue and a general feeling of blase.
Early diagnoses of many forms of arthritis can prevent future damage to bones and tissues as well as to prevent loss of joint movement through various treatment methods such as exercise, medications and rest. If you feel that you may have an arthritis symptom, or are uncertain, schedule a visit to your doctor and explain your concerns. Your doctor may ask for a series of x-rays to determine bone health and size, and he or she may also request blood work to determine what’s going on.
In many cases, primary care physicians will refer people to a rheumatologist, or in plain English, an arthritis doctor, in order to determine exactly what form of arthritis you may be suffering from. However, keep in mind that just because you wake up occasionally with achy joints doesn’t mean you have arthritis. Knowing your body is the key.
Most people are able to determine when something’s not quite right with their body, and accompanying pain is often an indication that it’s time to visit the doctor. Early diagnosis of arthritis can prevent further damage and help you to get back to that healthy, active lifestyle that you’ve always enjoyed.
Knowing your body and understanding different arthritis symptom clues may greatly enhance your chances of maintaining that lifestyle, so always listen when your body is trying to tell you something.

For more information on arthritis, try visiting http://www.easyarthritistips.com a website that specializes in providing arthritis related tips, advice and resources to include information on arthritis symptom.
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Early Symptoms of Arthritis, 100 Different Diseases

admin — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:33:35 +0000

The Meaning of Arthritis

Joint inflammation is what arthritis means. Arthritis encompasses a wide variety of diseases and is not a single disease.

There are more than 100 rheumatic diseases and other conditions, that can cause pain, stiffness in the body and also swelling of the joints.

When one of these conditions damages the joints of the body this is when it is referred to as arthritis. Arthritis effect and disables our seniors and people 65 and older. There are many different forms of arthritis and they each have there own cause.

What do they have in common, 100 different diseases

We have a hundred different forms of arthritis, so what is common with all of them? The answer to this question is without a doubt pain. The arthritis pain will be different among all of the individuals suffering from arthritis, and the location of the pain will also be different.

Some symptoms of arthritis to warn you of possible problems

Swelling of your joints and stiffness are some of the signs and symptoms that you may be suffering from arthritis.

Are you feeling stiffness and swelling in one or more of your joints and have you been feeling this for a couple weeks or more? If you answered yes to the above then you need to visit your physician and have these warning signs diagnosed and treated.

Listing all the different types of arthritis would become quite extensive and I am not about to do that here. I will do another article explaining them, but for now here is a list of some of the most common types and the symptoms that are associated with each type of arthritis.

Osteoarthritis – what you will find is that the pain is worse at night or after rest. Osteo arthritis is a degenerative joint disease that results from wear and tear. Some of the symptoms of this are:

pain tenderness swelling decreased function

The onset of osteo arthritis is very subtle and gradual, usually involving one or only a few joints. Some of the joints most affected by this are:

knees hips hands spine

Rheumatoid – pain is felt in the morning. Sometimes in the elderly and children the pain may not be as pronounced, but some limbs may not want to function.

When you are suffering from Rheumatoid arthritis you are suffering from an auto immune disease. What is happening is the body is attacking itself. This can be a chronic and a disabling problem and can cause the following:

stiffness joint pain swelling loss of joint function

The cause of rheumatoid arthritis remains elusive. Doctors believe that there could be something genetic involved with this. Rheumatoid arthritis in the beginning stages can be difficult to diagnose because again this is gradual and has subtle symptoms.

There are many different types of arthritis and I am going to list some of them now. There is rheumatoid, osteoarthritis, gout and pseudogout, septic, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and many more.

The advances in medicine today have made treating the different types of arthritis many. You can use medicine prescribed by your doctor or even over the counter drugs and also arthroplasty and this is only a couple of ways to treat arthritis symptoms.

When joint pain is so severe that there may come a time when prosthetic joint replacement may become necessary. The people who have had this done are very satisfied with the results.

Arthritis has been around a long time. The first traces of arthritis dates back to 4500 B.C.

Dinosaurs have even had evidence to have had ankle osteoarthritis. The skeletal remains of Native Americans of Tennessee were noticed to have arthritis.

As time and technology advances may be in the future there will be a cure for arthritis. But only time will tell. Right now we try to treat the symptoms of pain and stiffness the best that we can.

There are other treatments besides the couple listed above and I will talk about them in another article.

Today many people struggle because of some form of arthritis, so learn of some Arthritis Prevention Tips now and you can also discover how some of the Celebrities with Rheumatoid Arthritis get by.

Today many people struggle because of some form of arthritis, so learn of some Arthritis Prevention Tips now and you can also discover how some of the Celebrities with Rheumatoid Arthritis get by.
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Arthritis Symptom Presentation Varies With Disease Type

admin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 23:31:37 +0000

Many people think of arthritis as a disease of the elderly. Creaking bones, slow gaits and gnarled fingers are what come to mind when a list of arthritis symptom possibilities is presented. The fact is the disease is actually known for a multitude of symptoms and these may vary depending on the type of arthritis present.
There are two major forms of arthritis and many other less prevalent forms, as well. The two most common types of arthritis are osteo and rheumatoid. Each tends to present with its own brand of arthritis symptom possibilities along with several they share in common. Let’s look at both types and the typical symptoms that go along with them.
Osteoarthritis is a progressive disease that tends to strike later in life. In this particular form of the disease, the arthritis symptom possibilities can range quite dramatically from patient to patient, but one thing that is shared in all cases is pain, or at least discomfort. This form of arthritis doesn’t have a definitive known cause, but it is believed it can be brought on by genetic defects, overuse, age, diabetes and a host of other possible reasons. This particular form of arthritis tends to impact the joint cartilage that lines the bone within the joint.
The arthritis symptom possibilities for this type of the disease include such things as inflammation, pain, loss of movement, bony growths and more. In severe cases, the cartilage can break down almost entirely, removing the body’s natural shock absorption system and creating a great deal of pain.
While the arthritis symptom possibilities will vary in this form from person to person, the impact of the disease is generally pretty strong. This form of arthritis affects about 20 million people in the United States alone.
The second major form of arthritis is rheumatoid. This, too, has no definitive cause, but is believed to be brought on by such things as heredity, hormones and even infection. The arthritis symptom possibilities in this form of the disease tend to be a little more broad, which makes it quite difficult to diagnosis initially.
In rheumatoid arthritis, the body’s own immune system decides to attack and destroy the tissues in the joints. The arthritis symptom possibilities here are so wide because this form of the disease involves the immune system.
The typical arthritis symptom possibilities in rheumatoid include such things as swollen, stiff and painful joints, fevers, loss of use and even deformity in severe cases. Rheumatoid can also create arthritis symptom event in other areas of the body including the lungs, heart and eyes. Considering its more holistic attack on the body, this particular form of the disease is also known for making people feel very tired and generally ill overall.
Dealing with either form of the disease can be very difficult for patients to contend with. Generally doctors will attempt to address each arthritis symptom as it arises, which is considered a pretty good approach. Since neither form of the disease has a known cure, this is perhaps the best way to manage overall pain by handling treatment on a need-to basis. The best way for a person with different arthritis symptom possibilities to handle them is as they arise, while making sure a doctor is consulted for new therapies when they are needed.

The Arthritis Symptom: An Overview

admin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:12:46 +0000

Are your aches and pains just a natural part of growing older, or are they a sign there is something more serious wrong with your body? While some forms of arthritis are just the result of the aging process, some forms can wreak havoc on more than just the joints. Other forms actually result from the body’s immune system turning on itself. How can you tell if your joint pain is natural aging or if something else is wrong? Knowing the symptoms of different forms of arthritis can help you know if a pain reliever is all you need, or if your specific arthritis symptom is a sign there is more wrong than just joint pain.
The most common form of arthritis is known as osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is the form of arthritis generally associated with growing older. This condition results from the natural aging process in which the cartilage, a rubbery substance that protects the joints, begins to wear down. The arthritis symptom most often associated with this form of the disease is joint pain. This joint pain can also be accompanied by fever and swelling in the affected joints as well as stiffness in the morning or after times of inactivity.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a form of arthritis that can strike the young and old alike. Like osteoarthritis, the main arthritis symptom associated with rheumatoid arthritis is joint pain. Unlike osteoarthritis, however, rheumatoid arthritis is caused when the body’s immune system turns on the body and begins to attack the joints. Those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis can also expect to experience joint fever and stiffness. In the long term, rheumatoid arthritis can cause deformity of the joints. The disease can also cause nodules, or raised lumps, to appear in places such as the hands. In addition to these symptoms, however, those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis can also have extreme fatigue, lack of appetite, and low grade fever throughout the body. Unlike those suffering from osteoarthritis, those who have rheumatoid arthritis can experience times of remission where they are basically symptom free.
Another form of arthritis characterized by the main arthritis symptom of joint pain is psoriatic arthritis. Other symptoms of psoriatic arthritis include raised, red, scaly areas of the skin. Unlike either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis can also affect major organ of the body such as the heart and lungs. Untreated, heart damage resulting from psoriatic arthritis can result in heart failure and ultimately, death. In this disease, arthritis strikes the cartridge and tendons as well as the joints of the body. The psoriasis associated with the disease generally precedes the arthritis symptoms by several months to several years.
As you can see, the main arthritis symptom associated with most forms of this debilitating condition is joint pain and stiffness. With varying forms of the disease, symptoms can range from fever, loss of appetite, psoriasis and fatigue. Depending on your symptoms, your doctor can decide what treatment options are best for you to keep your disease from becoming debilitating or life-threatening.