Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Arthritis Explained - Examine Your Symptoms If You Think You Have The Disease

By Carol Bell

Have you ever wondered if you had a certain disease? Todays Information Age, a mountain load of information about any subject can be informative, yet frightening. From an Internet site, newspaper article, television show or even a movie, we can learn about one of a myriad of diseases that inflict humans. As the expression ignorance breeds fear reveals, becoming educated about a certain disease can allow us to better understand the dynamics of the illness. However, this knowledge can also cause us to become more introspective, and ask ourselves the question, Do I have it? In particular, we can experience this phenomenon when we learn what is arthritis.

When we hear the word arthritis, the image of elderly people with joint problems probably pops into our head. However, in more scientific terms, what is arthritis? Most varieties of arthritis create aches and enlargement of your joints. Joints are simply locations where two different bones meet. Examples include your knee or elbow. Within time, a swollen joint can turn into extremely impaired. Particular forms of arthritis can even cause difficulties involving your organs including your heart or eyes. Among the various types of arthritis, some exclusively affect children, or are related to ones immune system or aging.

After learning what's arthritis, you must establish if you have it yourself. In this process, discomfort can be your friend. Without feeling discomfort, we wouldn't have warning signs that we have particular sicknesses or sicknesses. In the case of arthritis, if you are experiencing consistent swelling, heat, weight reduction, discomfort, respiring difficulty, or redness, you will have arthritis. However , experiencing arthritis' discomfort and pain does not imply that no relief exists.

If you indeed have arthritis, you could have either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis--two of the most common forms of the disease. Osteoarthritis typically is a result of aging, and oftentimes affects ones knees, hips and fingers. On the other hand, rheumatoid arthritis occurs when your bodys defence system malfunctions. This affects bones, joints, and even internal organs. Rheumatoid arthritis could cause you to feel exhausted or sick, and can create a fever.

After learning what's arthritis, if you believe that you will have the illness, visit a doctor immediately! Only a doctor is qualified to establish if you have arthritis, and how it should be handled. You must inform the doctor about what kind of discomfort you are experiencing. Through blood tests and x-rays, the doctor can identify which sort of arthritis you are suffering from, if indeed you do.

If the doctor can verify that you indeed have arthritis, he will then discuss the optimum treatment available. The physician may prescribe medication that can treat stiffness, soreness and aches.

If you still be afflicted by discomfort after taking arthritis drugs, you may also rest the distended joint, engage in some light stretching exercises, take a shower with warm water, or place an ice pack on the distended area. If those treatments together with the medicine don't supply adequate relief, contact your health practitioner.

After we learn what is arthritis, we should determine if personally we are suffering from the disease. Then, if necessary, we can take appropriate steps to put ourselves on the road to relief and happiness.

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