Arthritis Signs and Symptoms Tell the Story

There are many arthritis signs and symptoms.

Arthritis is a disease that is characterized by inflammation of the joints. It is the most common disease in the United States and is classified as a rheumatic disease. This condition means that different individual illnesses with differing factors, treatments, complications and prognosis occurs. They are similar in that they have a tendency to affect the joints, muscles, ligaments, cartilage and may affect internal body areas.

Arthritis signs and symptoms include pain and limited functions of joints, joint swelling, joint stiffness, tenderness or pain when touching a joint and warmth and redness in the joint. Arthritis can attack joints in almost any part of the body.

Different forms of arthritis such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can cause changes that you can see and feel. With Osteoarthritis the symptoms can range from stiffness and mild pain that comes and goes with activities like walking, bending or stooping to severe joint pain. Rheumatoid arthritis can attack almost any joint in the body. Most of the time with rheumatoid arthritis if you have arthritis in a joint on one side of the body the same joint on the other side of the body will be affected.

If you have arthritis signs and symptoms, it is important to schedule an appointment with your doctor. Diagnosing arthritis early can help to prevent irreversible damage and disability. Your doctor will review your history of arthritis signs and symptoms and examine the joints for inflammation and deformity.

Certain blood, urine, joint fluid and x-ray test may also be ordered to help get an accurate diagnosis of arthritis. It may take several visits before your doctor can be certain of the diagnosis. Your primary physician may refer you to a rheumatologist for more specialized care.

There are several arthritis signs and symptoms and they must be taken seriously. There is no known cure for arthritis. Therefore, the treatment goal for this disease is to minimize the symptoms and on-going destruction of arthritis.

With the proper treatment you can continue to live a happy and active lifestyle.

For more important information on arthritis resources be sure to visit arthritis-life.com where you will find information & advice on common arthritis issues such as arthritis symptoms, arthritis relief, and other articles at http://www.arthritis-life.com

Canine Arthritis Risk Factors

As the owner of a dog with arthritis, I know how difficult it can be for you and your dog. Even though arthritis can occur in dogs of any breed or at any age, certain factors can greatly increase the risk of your dog developing cancer.

According to Novartis Animal Health the top factors are:

Genetic predisposition. You may be surprised to learn that up to 70% of certain breeds including Labradors, Golden Retrievers, and German Shepherds will eventually be affected with canine arthritis.

Obesity: Overweight dogs tend to develop arthritis years three years earlier than lean dogs so it is important to make sure that you control your dog's weight.

Joint Abnormalities: Conditions such as hip dysplasia put extra stress on animal’s joins, increase a dog’s risk of arthritis. In addition if your dog has surgery such as a knee replacement surgery, like my Wanda did, your dog will likely develop arthritis around that joint.

Stress and Trauma: Injuries to ligaments, tissue and bones, and constant physically demanding activities also increase the risk by putting pressure on joints. To alleviate this, you can invest in a dog ramp or steps.

Infection: Bacterial, viral and fungal infections, including Ehrlichiosis, Lyme Disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever can affect joints and contribute to arthritis.

If your dog is diagnosed with canine arthritis, you have several options of treatment. Canine arthritis treatments include exercise, diet, supplements, and/or pain control medication. For more information on canine arthritis, visit http://www.allaboutdogcare.com.

Margaret Svete, best-selling author, television and radio personality, and dog rescuer helps dog owners discover easy dog care tips. Subscribe to the premiere dog care ezine, The Dog Enquirer, at http://www.allaboutdogcare.com

The Many Different Causes Of Arthritis And What It Means To You

Despite the fact that arthritis is a very common ailment, there are still many opinions about the cause of arthritis. If you’re suffering form arthritis pain, however, you probably don't care a lot about what caused it in the first place - you just want the pain to stop. Some people believe that arthritis is caused by normal wear and tear on your body, and in particular, your joints. Others say that the cause of arthritis is inflammation of your muscles or joints.

Whatever the cause of arthritis might be, your main goal should be to find a way to live your life with minimum disruption and as much comfort as possible. Arthritis can cause great distress, both in terms of the pain the sufferer feels, and the fact that too often people stop doing all their day to day activities in the hope that inactivity will help the arthritis pain to go away. As arthritis is so common in joints such as knees and hips, it can make movement uncomfortable or even extremely painful. It can be difficult to continue with your favorite activities when you're suffering so much pain.

One common cause of arthritis is family history. If members of your family have suffered from arthritis in the past, it's quite possible that you're more susceptible to developing arthritis. Still, there's no evidence that genetics are the only cause of arthritis. After all, someone in your family must have been the first person to develop arthritis, so what was the cause of their arthritis? If that person is still alive, chances are they're asking their doctor that very question! Many researchers have been working at uncovering the cause of arthritis for a long time now. Although they have theories and can identify risk factors, there certainly is no one, defined cause of arthritis. The research continues, because if the cause of arthritis can be found, it will be a lot easier to develop a cure.

Perhaps you might never know for sure what caused your arthritis, but that doesn't change the fact that you need to live with it on a daily basis. Talk to your doctor about developing your own arthritis management plan, and hopefully you will be able to continue living your life to the fullest.

For more helpful information on the causes of arthritis visit QuickArthritisPainRelief.com - A website that provides tips and advice on natural arthritis pain relief.

 

Juvenille Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that attacks the joints in the body, causing inflammation and pain. It can affect anyone at any age. Children are no exception to rheumatoid arthritis. In children, this chronic disease is called as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and it also causes inflamed and stiff joints.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis mostly affects children below the age of 16. Unlike the rheumatoid arthritis of adults, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a group of several diseases. The only common characteristic of the adult and child rheumatoid arthritis is the “inflammation of joints and pain”.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a collective disease. The three identified forms are pauciarticular, polyarticular and systemic. In pouciarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, a child may suffer from inflammation in few joints such as the knee and shoulder. If it is polyarticular, then many joints get inflamed simultaneously, for example knees, wrists, elbows, and so on. Polyarticular rheumatoid arthritis attacks symmetrically; for example, the joints of the left and right hand become inflammation at the same time.

Unlike pauciarticular and polyarticular, in systemic cases, parts of the body become affected along with the inflammation of some organs. Skin rashes, fever, inflammation of the joints and internal organs such as the spleen and liver may accompany systemic disease.

The cause of the disease is unknown, even in the case of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The child complaining of joint pain is often examined to confirm for rheumatoid arthritis. The symptoms include difficulty to get up after sitting down, pain in the mornings while waking up—everything that is caused by the stiffness and swelling of the joints. They are also asked for a family history of rheumatoid arthritis. Once the disease is suspected, preliminary tests are conducted to understand the intensity of the disease. On the basis of the test results, the child is given treatment and medication. While some have an easy recovery, others suffer from more complicated symptoms. Sometimes, in some children, the symptoms of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis remain dormant for a period of time. It may suddenly emerge or “flare up” when the child least expects it.

Rheumatoid Arthritis provides detailed information on Rheumatoid Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatments and more. Rheumatoid Arthritis is affiliated with Arthritis Pain.