Arthritis – Old age companion

Arthritis is a disorder which causes inflammation and severe pain in the joints and conditions worsen with age.

Types of Arthritis:

Medical science has discovered there are more than 100 different types of arthritis but the most common are Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Osteo Arthritis

It is by far the most common type of Arthritis which is affecting thousands of people all over the world and especially in the USA. Osteoarthritis occurs when the protective cushioning on the ends of the bones wears out or is not thick enough to prevent two bones from touching. It causes immense pain to the patient and it generally affects the knees, hips, spine, and other joints in the body.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

This is the second most common type of arthritis affecting several people worldwide. Rheumatoid Arthritis occurs when the joints are not the only part of the body affected. When the healthy tissues are also under attack from the not so healthy ones, this condition is termed as Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Symptoms of Arthritis

Patients suffering from Arthritis experience severe pain in the joints, hips, spine, knees and other parts of the body. The pain can vary from shooting to intermittent and will occur regardless of whether the patient is in motion or sitting. Arthritis is a very common disorder in old age people and senior citizens. A patient experiences extreme swelling, and stiffness in the joints, and hips and difficulty in walking, running and performing day to day chores.

Treatment of Arthritis

Since arthritis generally occurs in senior citizens and therefore, the treatment should be done in such a way that it is in line with what the old age can handle. There are several medications available that are known to effectively reduce the shooting pain a patient experiences. However, medication cannot be taken forever, as it is known to have several side effects.

Other than medication there are other methods of curing arthritis. Most notable is surgery which is done by the doctor’s world over. In a surgery, the doctor will insert a ductile rubber plate between the inflamed joints thus cancelling any friction that may be caused by continuous rubbing of the joints. Medication after surgery is normally recommended by the doctors however, it is known to have several side effects and most notable being severe acidity.

Acidity is a very common side effect of the strong medication and most patients have reported severe acidity problem postsurgery. It is therefore, advisable to take the option of surgery only and only if it is absolutely necessary.

Natural Arthritis Treatment

Though many have termed it as quackery however, traditional age old methods of oil massage are time tested and have proved beneficial for patients. Citizens above the age of 60 are most likely to develop arthritis and therefore, should massage their joints with luke warm oil at least twice a week. In addition to the oil massage, regular exercise, diet control, yoga, and positive thoughts go a long way in curing arthritis and acting as a bulwark against diseases.