Since I was three years old I have had arthritis. Apparently I was dropped very hard on my rear end as an infant before I was adopted and this caused the cushions that surround the cartilages on the hipbone to come off. The X-rays show that it was a miracle that I grew straight up. Also, through the years the constant usage of my hands and arms has caused arthritis to set in. Arthritis can spread through out the body. And I would like to share with you what I know about arthritis.
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis is a medical condition that may cause joint pain, swelling, and stiffness in children and adults. Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis is the most common. There are of over 100 types of arthritis. A doctor or other healthcare professional may use x-rays and blood tests for diagnosis. Treatments may include heat, ice, resting the joint, specialized exercise, medications, weight loss, and patient education. Arthritis can attack any bone or bone joints in the body. It can and does affect your everyday life.
Osteoarthritis(OA)
This is the most common form of arthritis, which occurs when a thin layer of cartilage inside the joint breaks down. The rough ends of bone come in contact with each other. The result can be pain, swelling and stiffness. Overtime, loss of joint mobility can or may occur. Without treatment, osteoarthritis can totally incapacitate a joint, but there is much you can do to alleviate the pain of arthritis and slow its progression.
Muscle weakness
It is commonly thought that osteoarthritis results in disuse in the muscles of the leg, which causes them to weaken. In a recent study results indicated that weak muscle tissue in the quadriceps is responsible for osteoarthritis. The quadricepses are four muscles that stretch down the thigh and attach to the knee and are responsible for leg extension. This weakness may be due to an abnormality in the muscles themselves or in the nerves that serve those muscles. The study showed strength tests revealed that people with osteoarthritis had muscle weakness in the quadriceps even if they had no pain, and there was no difference in signs of atrophy between the legs of arthritic patients and those of nonarthritic people.
Anatomical factors
Some researchers suggest that a number of people have anatomical abnormalities, such as mismatched surfaces on the joints, which can be damaged over time by abnormal stress. Legs of unequal length or skewed feet do cause jerky movement and may induce osteoarthritis. For instance a study on handgrip strength, individuals, particularly men, whose grip was very powerful were at increased risk of developing osteoarthritis in certain hand joints over time. Normal everyday usage of the hands can cause arthritis to set up in the hands. Popping the knuckles can cause problems later on in life. But women also have grip problems.
Rheumatoid arthritis
This type occurs for different reasons and is often far more severe than Osteoarthritis. The body’s protective immune system begins attacking your own joints. The synovial membrane around your joints thickens in response to this attack, resulting in breakdown of cartilage, tendon, ligaments, and muscle around the joint. Fibrous tissue may build up over time in response to this attack and reduce joint mobility. The inflammation process can even affect the heart, eyes, lungs and other systems throughout the body. Rheumatoid type arthritis can cripple people and canes and wheel chairs have to be used to get around. The pain is also more intense with this type.
Just some facts
There are many other forms of arthritis. These include systemic lupus erythematosus, an inflammatory disease of all joints; scleroderma, a fibrous disease of the skin; polymyositis, an inflammation of muscles throughout the body. There is also gout, not an autoimmune etiology. In fact there are more than 100 forms of arthritis.
The pain is sometimes persistent so bad that you can do nothing but just stop and rest. Any movement can cause greater pain. Sometimes walking helps some people, but for me the walking makes it worse, which makes routine tasks very difficult for me to do. Shopping is a greater task for me now then what it was. Before getting out of any store I am in so much pain that it is almost unbearable. I can generally just sit for a little bit and rest and be okay enough to continue. I refuse to let my arthritis completely rule my life. There are very few exercises that I can do because the arthritis is so bad and the excess stress to the joints causes more deterioration of the bone/joints. The pain does shoot down one leg or the other without notice. You should also know that the pain is different in each person.
If you’re overweight, talk to your doctor about ways you can achieve a proper weight. Keeping a diary or journal is a great way to relieve your mind of needless worry, and express your emotions instead of keeping them bottled up. Heat can relax the muscles and joints and an ice pack can help dull pain during the first few days of an arthritis flare-up. But you need to talk to your doctor before doing any of these. It is not uncommon for me to take a hot bathe in the middle of the day. The ice does not work for me.
While you can live a normal life with arthritis, you’re going to have to learn to respect your limits and rest when needed. Look at your home and work space to find ways to reduce bending, lifting, and unnecessary, repetitive activities. If someone is around, let them help you with the bending and picking up.
There are many types of medications and creams that people can try that are successful in helping to deal with the pain. There are medications that are prescribed by a doctor only and some like Tylenol, Advil, Bayer and many others that you can get over the counter. Ibuprofen is one of the best and the generic form in all the over the counter brands will work just as well. You may have to try several kinds before you find one that is right for you. Check with your doctor before taking any medications.
There are also surgical procedures that may have to be done over time such as a hip or knee replacement. But your doctor will inform you of these things as needed if ever needed.
Over all arthritis is very painful but controllable. Like I said in the beginning of this review I have always had it and I have always tried many different things in helping me to live with it. Of course I have to admit there are days that I do just have to stay in bed, but I manage.
Once again on a personal note I have to say this. The next time you see someone who has parked in a handicap place and just because they didn’t get out of their vehicle in a wheel chair or with a cane or bent over due to old age or for some other reason that you may feel they should be a noticeable “crippled or handicapped” person, don’t assume that there is nothing wrong with them. I do have a handicap sticker and I am grateful for the opportunity to have it. Like I already stated by the time I am ready to leave a store the pain is so bad that I am grateful the distance is shortened. And I know that people with various cancers have these stickers as well. Some of us may look healthy, but until you have walked in our shoes don’t judge us. And even then you have no right to pass judgment on any us “handicapped” people.
Good luck and God Bless!