Arthritis Spotting The Signs

By: Tara Smith

Did you find it difficult to get moving this morning? Have you noticed that your joints are painful after a mild workout? Are you beginning to wonder if you have a bit of arthritis? And what should you do about it?

If you have experienced any of these feelings, or are feeling extra stiffness of your bones and joints after exercising, it could just be that you're less responsive than normal when recovering from using your limbs. However, if you are worried it may be something more serious, there are symptoms you can look out for with regards to the two most common types of arthritis:

Osteoarthritis is the deterioration of the cartilage that protects the ends of bones. It can be caused by injury, but most often, it is due to wear and tear from ageing, diet and lifestyle. Osteoarthritis is sometimes called degenerative arthritis. The joints most commonly affected are the weight bearing joints, hips, knees and back. It also frequently occurs in the joints of the hand and knuckles. This type of arthritis rarely occurs before age 40, and affects nearly everyone over 60 years.

Rheumatoid arthritis is determined by using a combination of medical tests. While a blood test will indicate the probability of the presence of the disease, X-rays, MRI scans and bone scans are used to visualize the joints to check the severity and progression of arthritis. Once a diagnosis is confirmed, the doctors have a wide variety of treatment options to slow the progression and maintain mobility. They choose the one that promises the best results depending on other aspects of the patient’s health.

If you think you may be experiencing the symptoms of arthritis, you should speak to your doctor immediately. He or she can then arrange for a serious of tests to be carried out to ascertain whether you are afflicted or not. These tests include checking your blood for any presence of arthritis; an X-ray or MRI scans; and a bone scan to determine how far advanced the arthritis is if you have it.

Alternate medicines have been found to be quite beneficial for arthritis. This includes physical therapy, whirlpool treatments, thermotherapy (moist heat), and joint exercises are used to increase mobility and prevent complications. Cold gel packs can relieve the pain of inflamed joints. A hot morning shower will often relieve morning stiffness.

Some foods naturally fight inflammation. Tart red cherries can relieve pain and inflammation. You will need to eat about 20 each day. Fresh pineapple is also excellent at reducing inflammation. You might want to consider adding asparagus, eggs, garlic and onions to your diet. These foods help your body repair and rebuild bone and cartilage. Other beneficial foods include leafy green vegetables, non-acidic fresh fruits, oatmeal, brown rice and fish.

Allergies can trigger inflammation, and aggravate arthritis symptoms. Many sufferers of neck and back pain have reported relief when they eliminated certain foods that they were allergic to. Regular, moderate exercise, such as walking or swimming is important for reducing pain and slowing the deterioration of joints. Losing excess weight is also beneficial. When participating in any strenuous physical activity, it is important to incorporate frequent rest periods. This will allow you to keep your strength, without damaging your joints.

Exercise often as well. Even a relaxing form of exercise such as swimming or taking a walk has shown to ease the pain experienced and helped to slow the wasting away of the joints affected. If you're engaging in any more hardy tasks, make sure you have a good rest period in-between, to ease the pressure on the joints themselves.

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