Ruth Rideout
The word arthritis comes from “arth” meaning joint, and “itis” meaning inflammation. Most adults will develop some form of arthritis as they age. Some types of arthritis occur in very young babies while many others strike people in their so-called “prime”.
There are many faces of arthritis – something as simple as tendinitis or bursitis, to more systemic forms that can cripple, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Fibromyalgia is a pain syndrome, and lupus is an arthritis-related disorder. Gout is also related to arthritis.
(http://medicineworld.org)
Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury – it manifests itself as swelling, pain, heat, and redness. When joints become inflamed, there may be one or all of these symptoms. When we have joint pain, we tend to avoid using the joint, and as a result, we can lose function of that joint.
(www.arthritis.ca)
Our bodies have a variety of joint types which are designed for different functions, but all provide a wide range of motion:
- Hinge joints (knees, fingers)
- Pivot joints ( wrists)
- Ball-and-socket joints (shoulders and hips)
- Saddle joints (connect thumb to hand)
The joints are held together with large, elastic-type material called ligaments which serve as shock absorbers. There is a cap on the bone ends called cartilage which allows the bones to slide over each other.
In osteoarthritis, the cartilage is destroyed and the bones grind – this causes pain, deformity, and loss of mobility. The swelling in the joint is caused by the synovial fluid within the capsule of the joint – it becomes inflamed and thickened and produces extra fluid which, in turn, can damage the cartilage and bone.
There are many types of prescription medications used to treat these conditions – some have been removed from the market over the past few years as they have been found to cause heart problems etc. In recent years, natural, herbal remedies have been created to alleviate the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis, gout, and fibromyalgia.
For products to address these problems please click below
Tags: arthritis, fibromyalgia, gout, inflammation, joint pain, lupus
