What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

The second type is rheumatoid arthritis affects over one million people in the United States. It doesn’t discriminate, it effects people of all ages. In fact, there are three types of rheumatoid arthritis for juveniles alone. The cause? The immune system is supposed to protect our body, but in some cases, it does the exact opposite. With rheumatoid arthritis, it attacks the joint lining membrane.

 

The most noticeable symptom of rheumatoid arthritis is pain. If untreated, other complications can arise. The most common is disability. To prevent this from happening, all patients are urged to exercise their joints and muscles, even though it may be painful at first.

Another common symptom of rheumatoid arthritis is inflammation. The swelling can be mild to severe. In most instances, this is what separates rheumatoid arthritis from other forms. Swelling and inflammation is likely, but it is much more prominent and debilitating.

Most rheumatoid arthritis suffers rarely experience constant pain. The disease flares up from time to time. These flare ups are trigged by joint overuse and certain foods. As for the cause, it is currently unknown. There are however many theories. One being genes.

Now that you are familiar with the most common types of arthritis, what comes next? If you or someone who you know suffers from arthritis, medical care is essential. A proper diagnosis is important to developing the best treatment option. Low impact exercise can loosen the joints and strengthen the surrounding muscles. This not help eliminate some of the joint stiffness, it can also prevent disability and deformities in chronic suffers.

Some pain can be treated, but it will reoccur. Here are a few tips that can help you learn how to manage pain. Start by eliminating stress, ask for help when you need it, get plenty of sleep, and learn how to relax. While these are only general tips that sound almost too simple, they really can help.

Alleviating arthritis pain and inflammation is not an exact science. What works for one person may not work for another, so it is important to take care of your overall health in order help minimize it’s painful side effects.