There are several different types of arthritis, and they fall within an area known as the rheumatic diseases. Treatment for arthritis will vary based on the type patient has along with the symptoms they’re suffering from. The various types of arthritis have similarities in that they all affect joints, cartilage, tendons and ligaments. Several types of arthritis also affect internal organs.
Arthritis Treatment Varies Based on Forms of the Disease
There are multiple different types of arthritis so there’s not one treatment that is uniform to all. Over 100 types of arthritis are known in that number gets larger every few years. The main type of arthritis is osteoarthritis which leads to normal wear and tear on a person’s cartilage with increasing age. Another type of arthritis as a result of an overactive immune system and this is rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis in America is the most common illness of a chronic type is not surprised as are so many different types.
Around the world, over 350 million people suffer from arthritis. Is not just an older person’s disease, as over half of those afflicted are under age 65. 60% of those with arthritis are women, which is interesting because as a worldwide population women do not make up 60%.
Contributing Factors to Arthritis Treatment
There are several contributing factors into how arthritis gets treated. The type of arthritis dictates some of the treatment, but in large part it is how bad the symptoms are, persistence, location, and parts of the medical history can also play a role in the type of treatment. Treatment for arthritis is also subject to the treatment preferences of the doctor.
There are several arthritis treatments that have been handed down for generations and include homeopathic remedies and over-the-counter medications which can keep the cost of treatment low. As you move up the severity, there are prescription drugs, injections into joints with steroid and other regenerative medicine substances, and also as a last resort surgery.
One treatment that can work extremely well for arthritis is losing weight which can decrease pressure on the joints. What you really want an arthritis treatment is to relieve the pain and inflammation, along with protecting the joint so that is not subjected to such bad arthritis going forward.
One of the 1st things most doctors do with patients is to prescribe rest to the area in question. If that individual is an avid runner, and suffering from an arthritic flare in one of the knees, then it’s prudent to hold back on the running for a bit. Ice and heat compresses along with pain cream formulations may provide excellent pain relief. Chondroitin and glucosamine are an excellent over-the-counter supplement for providing some pain relief and joint protection going forward.
Several arthritis treatments involve trial and error. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications often work great for patients, but it may not be the 1st medication tried that does the trick. Sometimes naproxen works well patients, other times its ibuprofen that performs better for pain relief.
Exercise is one of the best treatments around for arthritis, and strengthening up the muscles around the arthritic joints can relieve pain off of the joint itself. The exercise may occur in a formal physical therapy program, home exercise program, or as a regular fitness center.
Along with that, steroid injections into the problematic area may give substantial relief for months. This may allow people to dramatically improve their activity and avoid surgery, or at a minimum delay it.
Braces can help arthritic joints for pain relief a lot as well. This may include a brace on the wrist for instance to mobilize it, or a knee offloading brace or even a lumbar back brace in a time of an arthritic flare too. TENS units may help substantially as well.
If a patient has mild to moderate pain, an over the counter medication such as Tylenol or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories may make life much more tolerable. In those instances where pain is substantial, a short term course of narcotics can help a patient get through the rough patch.
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