What is arthritis? The most commonly used definition for arthritis is an inflammation of the joints. The joints of the body are where two bones connect allowing the limbs to bend for movement purposes. Arthritis causes the joints to swell which makes the bones stiff and lessens the flexibility of your movement. It is important to note that arthritis is not a single disease.
There are more than 100 rheumatoid arthritis diseases out there and most people don’t know this. Many don’t know this because most arthritis diseases have the same symptoms, swelling and stiffness of the joints. For example a hereditary arthritis disease is osteoarthritis and it causes stiffness and swelling.
I’m sorry to have to be the bearer of bad news but the older we become chances are we will experience or even obtain arthritis. This happens because the older we get the bones in our body naturally degenerate. In other words are bones become weaker which make us more subject to pain and swelling.
The Number 1 Sign of Arthritis:
The major complaint from people who have a form of arthritis is the joint pain. When the arthritis is in its early stage the pain may come and go but as it grows the pain becomes more constant. The inflammation of the joints is what causes the pain to occur.
Common forms of arthritis:
Studies indicate that 1% of all Americans suffer from arthritis in the hands at some point in their life. Why? Arthritis usually attacks the smaller joints of the body first and the hands are the smallest in the body. As the disease gets older it will then spread to the larger joints like your knees, neck and elbows.
What should I do if I am experiencing arthritis in hands?
The first thing you need to do is get a proper diagnosis. Why? Just because you are experiencing joint pain does not mean that you have arthritis. It’s also important to see a doctor because there are well over 100 different arthritic diseases in the world today and knowing exactly which one you might have in its early stages can help you out tremendously.
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