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Arthritis Treatment
Arthritis treatment proceeds after a proper diagnosis of the disease.
The term arthritis means inflammation of joints. Joint is the meeting point of two different bones.
Joint plays an important role in the movement of body parts. There are over 100 joints in our body connecting 206 bones. The cartilage facilitates the gliding of bone ends across each other. The thick fluid produced by the synovium helps in the nourishment and lubrication of the joint.
There are over 100 different types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the two most common types of arthritis. Arthritis can affect men and women, adults and children. It is estimated that about 350 million people are affected by arthritis worldwide.
Causes of arthritis:
There are many causes of arthritis depending on the type of arthritis. These causes include:
- Injury
- Genetic and hereditary factors
- Immunological problems
- Metabolic abnormalities
- Bacterial and viral infection
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Stress
- Overweight
- Hormonal imbalance
- Abnormality in cytokine function
Symptoms of arthritis:
Following are some symptoms of arthritis:
- Pain and restricted joint movements
- The affected joints get swollen up, red and warm.
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite resulting in weight loss
- Irritation, anxiety and poor concentration
- May also affect other body organs
- Numbness of various body parts
Diagnosis of arthritis:
Proper and effective treatment for arthritis is possible only after a perfect diagnosis. Diagnosis is difficult since the symptoms overlap with various forms of arthritis. So the doctor first monitors the specific symptoms and the disease characteristics and identifies the form of arthritis one is affected from. Diagnosis involves:
- Medical history
- Physical examinations
- Blood tests
- X-rays
Arthritis treatment:
Arthritis treatments are based upon the form or type of arthritis, severity, location and medical history of the patient.
- Exercises
Exercises are important for management of arthritis. It is always advisable to consult your doctor before starting the exercise program. You may also consult a physio therapist to guide you for the precautions and techniques to be followed for certain exercises.
Moderate exercises are beneficial for arthritic patients. It eases joint pain and stiffness. There is muscle development around the joints which increases the flexibility of the joints. It keeps you fit and active. Exercises help reduce inflammation resulting from arthritis and prevent other chronic conditions.
Always start with some slow exercises and do it with fun. Stretching exercises improves motion and helps performing daily activities.
- Heat and Cold Therapy
This treatment is effective for relieving pain, stiffness and swelling resulting from arthritis. Hot packs, hot water bottles or a damp warm towel is used for heat therapy. Heat treatment provides a soothing effect by relaxing your muscles.
Cold therapy is done by applying ice packs over the affected joints. This should not exceed 15 minutes and a gap of 30 minutes is to be maintained between treatments.
- Herbal Remedies
- Angelica- This herb has essential components for arthritis treatment. The herb has proved effective for treatment of arthritis. Angelica has 10 muscle relaxant constituents, 5 pain relieving and 12 anti-inflammatory constituents.
- Boswellia has anti-inflammatory properties, similar to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Black Cohosh has muscle relaxant and anti-inflammatory components which are helpful for pain relief.
- Celery seeds dispels uric acid, hence is effective for gout and treatment for arthritis.
- Sarasparilla is effective for rheumatoid arthritis treatment due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
- Medications:
- Mild pain relievers like acetaminophen and aspirin are prescribed as treatment for arthritis. Sufficient doses of acetominophen can be equally effective as anti-inflammatory drugs. Acetominophen has few gastrointestinal side effects compared to NSAIDs. Hence, it is generally prescribed as an initial drug for patients with osteoarthritis.
- Application of pain relieving cream on the skin over the joints provides relief from minor arthritis pain. Some of the examples are Salycin, menthol, capsaicin and methyl salicylate.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) - These drugs reduce inflammation. Examples of NSAIDs are Aspirin, ibuprofen, indomethician, nabumetone. The side effects of NSAIDs are heartburn, stomach upset and abdominal pain.
- Corticosteroids- They are the drugs which act by reducing inflammation. Steroids can be given topically, orally or by injections. Steroids work by reducing the activity of immune system. Low doses of steroids are recommended by doctors. However in acute cases, higher dosage for a limited period may be recommended.
- Steroids are used for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Repetitive injections of cortisone can be harmful for the bones and tissues. Hence it is reserved for patients with severe arthritis.
- Surgery
Patients with severe or acute arthritis and those unresponsive to other treatments can undergo a surgery. Surgical procedure aims at relieving pain and correcting the deformity or abnormality. Orthopedic surgeons are doctors specialized in joint surgery.
- Arthroscopy: in this joint surgery, a thin viewing tube is introduced into the joint through a cut made on skin. This helps the surgeon find the damaged tissue and remove them.
- Osteonomy: This is a bone removal process. This helps in the realignment of the deformity.
- Arthoplasty is a surgical procedure which helps to replace the affected or diseased joint. Bones in the affected joint may be reshaped or replaced with plastic or metal parts. This helps in relieving pain and restoring function.
- Total joint replacement is a surgical process to replace the destroyed joint with artificial materials. They help relieving pain and improving function.
- Homeopathy
Homeopathic medicines are safe to use with no side effects. It is advisable to take these medicines under the supervision and prescription of a homeopathic doctor. Some common homeopathic medications for arthritis include:
- Bryonica- It is generally prescribed when the patient experiences pain on the affected joints during joint movements.
- Causticum- It is used when stiffness is experienced in the affected joint.
- Belladona- Generally prescribed when inflammation and redness is observed in the affected joints.
- Pulsatilla- Used when the pain is not persisting on one joint and shifts from one joint to other.
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