| Do you ever wonder if you have a certain condition or | | | | Joints, Bones and Organs |
| disease? In today's age of digital information, where | | | | If it turns out that you do have arthritis then you could |
| almost anything can be at your fingertips in an instant, it | | | | have one of several types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis |
| is easy to get frightened by reading the wrong guide | | | | and rheumatoid arthritis are two of the most common. |
| or article. An internet site could explain your symptoms | | | | Osteoarthritis is generally the result of natural aging |
| perfectly and suggest it could be a life threatening | | | | and will most likely affect your knees, hips or fingers. |
| disease when in actual fact, it may be a mild cold or flu. | | | | Rheumatoid arthritis however, occurs when your |
| Because of today's media, we are exposed to a vast | | | | body's autoimmune system malfunctions. Instead of |
| number of conditions on a daily basis and it can easily | | | | protecting your body, it mistakes healthy tissues and |
| send our imagination wild. Educating one's self about | | | | cells as threats and attacks them. This affects bones, |
| certain conditions properly can help alleviate this | | | | joints and could affect internal organs. Rheumatoid |
| imagination overload. Learning more about a disease | | | | arthritis can cause you to feel fatigues, sick and create |
| can help us answer the question of "Do I have it?" | | | | a fever. |
| before our imagination gets the better of us. One | | | | Once you've learned what arthritis is, you may suspect |
| disease in particular that we will look at now is to find | | | | that you have the disease yourself. If this is the case |
| out what is arthritis. | | | | then you should arrange to meet with your doctor as |
| The Glue Between Our Joints | | | | soon as possible because key to treating arthritis is to |
| Arthritis is often associated with elderly people | | | | identify it early on and begin a course of treatment as |
| complaining of joint problems. This is an apt image but | | | | soon as possible to prevent the disease from |
| not entirely truly the way it is. So what is arthritis? Most | | | | progressing. Remember, despite how confident you |
| types of arthritis cause aches and the enlargement or | | | | are that you have arthritis, only a doctor should |
| inflammation of your joints. Joints are areas between | | | | diagnose you and recommend a course of treatment. |
| bones and represent the glue that holds our bones | | | | Giving your doctor as much information as possible |
| together and stops them from grinding against each | | | | about your pain will help the diagnosis. |
| other as we move. | | | | Through a series of blood tests and x-rays, your |
| An example of a joint would be a knee or an elbow. | | | | doctor will be able to determine which kind of arthritis |
| Over time, swollen joints can become impaired. | | | | you have, if you have any it at all. |
| Specific types of arthritis can cause difficulties within | | | | Only a Doctor Can Treat You Right |
| your body, including affecting the organs. Among the | | | | Once the doctor has diagnoses you with arthritis, he |
| different types of arthritis, some only affect children or | | | | will then recommend an appropriate course of |
| are related only to a person's immune system, aging or | | | | treatment for you. You could be prescribed with |
| genetics. | | | | arthritis medication to alleviate pain, stiffness and |
| Once you've learned what arthritis is, then you will be | | | | swelling. |
| able to determine if you have it yourself. In this | | | | If your arthritis still causes you pain after a prescribed |
| particular case, if you experience pain, it can help you | | | | course of treatment, there are other forms of self |
| identify a problem. Pain is the body's way of telling us | | | | treatment you can take part in, such as regular |
| that something is wrong and without pain, we would | | | | exercise , resting properly, eating properly and applying |
| not have any warning signs of an impending or current | | | | over the counter topical creams and gels directly to |
| condition that could adversely affect our health. In the | | | | the affected joints. |
| case of arthritis, if you experience swelling, are hot, | | | | If you are still unable to shed the pain, then you should |
| experience weight loss, find it difficult to breathe, | | | | consult your doctor again and at this stage, after all |
| develop redness then you may have arthritis. | | | | other avenues have been exhausted, your doctor |
| However, the good news is that arthritis, whilst | | | | may advise surgery. |
| incurable, can be managed to alleviate pain. | | | | |