Arthritis is a medical term
that comes from a Greek word, meaning joint inflammation. Arthritis
is in all probability one of the most misunderstood of all diseases
as it is an umbrella name for a group of more than 100 diseases
that cause pain, stiffness and (often) inflammation in one or more
joints. Time after time, arthritis is a long lasting disease, that
can manifest itself in different joints in the body, especially
in the knees, hips, and spine affecting people over many years.
Arthritis is the largest cause of disability in people over the
age of 65 but if you imagine that arthritis is something that only
affects older individuals, think again. Though arthritis is mainly
a disease of adults, children may also suffer with it. Juvenile
rheumatoid arthritis is arthritis that causes joint inflammation
and stiffness for longer than 6 weeks in a child of 16 years of
age or under.
 Arthritis
isn't a life sentence, but it can be very life changing and is far
more widespread than imagined. It is a very common medical condition,
estimated to affect around seven million people in the United Kingdom
alone and is the biggest cause of chronic disability in the United
States.
Rheumatoid arthritis is among the most debilitating of all forms
of arthritis, causing joints to ache and throb and in due time become
deformed and is found more commonly in women than in men. Unlike
osteoarthritis, which results from general wear and tear on your
joints over time, rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition.
Rheumatoid arthritis is marked by being tender to touch with warm,
swollen and stiff joints. The exact causes of rheumatoid arthritis
is not known but is a disease that primarily affects the linings
of the joints.
Obtaining information and treatment for arthritis is a major key
in finding relief from it. Sufferers of osteoarthritis very often
feel their condition is worse at night or following rest but rheumatoid
arthritis is generally speaking worse in the morning. There are
abundant old folk remedies for arthritis which even includes drinking
raw potato juice!
My arthritis started at a fairly early age and I've had it for
14 years as of writing. At first it was little more than an annoyance
but it has gradually gotten worse to the point where it has become
a real disability. It affects my hands, wrists, shoulders and more
recently my elbows.
One thing I have learnt from speaking to many other arthritis sufferers
is that the condition affects everybody differently. That is, the
experience is usually changing and VERY personal though many comparisons
can be drawn between them. It is also true of the various remedies
available. My Mother swore by cod liver oil and rubbing her affected
areas with peppermint oil. I find I get best relief from wrist supports
and strapping. Everybody has their favourite remedy and what works
for them won't necessarily work for you.
I first started this site as an exploration into the causes and
symptoms of arthritis as a lot of the information I could find on
the subject was obscure, far too technical or conflicting. I hope
you may find the information and articles I have gathered useful
to you in some way.
If you have arthritis and have found something that works for you
please let me know so that I can list it on the site for everyone's
benefit. If you have a health related site (especially arthritis)
and would like of to link to us I'd be very happy to oblige.
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