7 Surprising Arthritis Symptoms Every Woman Needs To Know

From prevention.com

You know sore, achy joints are arthritis's hallmark. But pain isn't the only symptom an arthritis sufferer may have to contend with.
"In a lot of cases, people notice other things showing up before they ever have pain," says Kevin Shea, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at St. Luke's Health System in Boise.
There are more than a dozen different types of arthritis, and Shea says each type is associated with its own set of symptoms. Also, every individual arthritis sufferer may experience the disease in her own way, he adds.
Why keep an eye out for these symptoms? "Depending on the type of arthritis, if you catch it early your doctor may be able to help you slow its progression," Shea says. Early detection could also give your doc the chance to administer anti-inflammation drugs, or recommend lifestyle changes that will keep you on your feet and active.

So what are those non-pain symptoms you need to watch out for? Keep reading.

Stiffness

For a lot of people, arthritis begins as feelings of joint stiffness. "You try to bend or straighten the joint, and it feels tight or full," Shea says. "It also may be hard to move to one side." This stiffness could strike any time (or all the time), but tends to be worse early in the day—before you've had time to "warm up" your joints, he adds. These 7 stretches can help ease your arthritis pain.

Swelling

Compare your left wrist or knee to your right. If one looks bigger or puffier than the other—and assuming you didn't recently sprain or injure the joint in question—that swelling could indicate arthritis. "Sometimes people notice the swelling more towards the end of the day," Shea says. You may also find that the swelling accompanies feelings of joint stiffness.

Catching Or Grinding

If your knee or wrist ever feels like its tendons are somehow tied up or "catching" on one another, that's another early symptom, Shea says. "Sometimes a patient will notice the catching or grinding, and then the pain will come later," he explains.

Fatigue

Unlike degenerative arthritis, which is basically "wear and tear" that slowly breaks down the padding of your joints, rheumatoid arthritis is a condition in which your body's immune system attacks your joints, Shea says. This could lead to inflammation, both acute (in or around your joint) and systemic (throughout your body). Systemic inflammation related to rheumatoid arthritis could leave you feeling unusually wiped out or fatigued.

Fever Or Loss Of Appetite

These are two more symptoms associated with the kind of systemic inflammation that stems from rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Because RA sufferers tend to experience "flare-ups," or periodic increases in inflammation, these symptoms may be strong at times and absent at others, says the Arthritis Foundation.

Redness Or Skin Rashes

In some cases, arthritis sufferers may notice their joints look red or irritated—even if they aren't hurting, Shea says. Also, a form of the disease called "psoriatic arthritis" can cause red, flaky, scaly skin issues.

Poor Range Of Motion

Your wrist or ankle seems less mobile than it used to be. Or maybe you reach for a high shelf, and your shoulder doesn't want to lift your arm above your head. These and other range-of-motion issues—especially if accompanied by pain—are often associated with arthritis, Shea says.

http://www.prevention.com/health/7-surprising-arthritis-symptoms/slide/7

Surgery and Other Treatment Options for Arthritis Patients

From food.ndtv.com

Arthritis in the knee is the most common type is osteoarthritis which is a progressive condition that slowly wears away the joint cartilage. It is mostly likely to strike after middle age but can also occur as a result of injury or if a person is overweight. When the cartilage gets destroyed, the bones of the joint rub constantly against each other and this may lead to swelling, pain and stiffness.

While age seems to be the most common cause of knee arthritis as the ability of the cartilage to heal diminishes when people get older and it may not be able to repair itself after the regular wear and tear, there are other factors that can also put you at risk. Obesity, people who are involve din athletics or some kind if genetic mutations may make a person more likely to develop knee arthritis.
Knee arthritis may bring a lot of pain to the patients and they may also lose mobility or find it difficult to walk. Therefore, the primary goal of treatment is to deal with these issues. Here are some common methods of treating knee arthritis. Be sure to take your doctor's decide before you decide to follow any of these as the treatment option totally depends on the severity of the condition.

1. Pain Relievers and Anti-Inflammatory Drugs:
Consult your doctor who may prescribe certain medications to relieve the pain and control the swelling.

2. Injections: Some doctors may suggest getting injected with corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid that helps in lubricating the joints and lessening the effects of the constant rubbing of bones.

3. Physiotherapy:

Some easy exercises can help in strengthening your muscles and increase the flexibility in your joints. Some amount of physical stress can also help in easing out the symptoms of knee arthritis like pain, swelling and stiffness.

4. Weight loss:

One of the main causes of knee arthritis may be excess weight that puts an extra load on your knees leading to discomfort. The inflammatory mediators produced in fat can cause your joint tissues. In such a situation, weight loss can help in improving the joint functions.

5. Surgery: In severe cases, a 'total knee replacement surgery' may be recommended by doctors. Depending upon the degeneration of the knees, doctors may also suggest arthroscopes or partial replacements.

http://food.ndtv.com/health/knee-arthritis-5-ways-to-get-it-treated-1672610

Men 'face unique challenges when coping with rheumatoid arthritis'

From arthritisresearchuk.org

Men with rheumatoid arthritis are often struggling to cope with their condition due to unique challenges created by their identities and self-perception, according to a new study.

Research carried out by the University of West England and funded by Arthritis Research UK has indicated that men face specific problems when dealing mentally with rheumatoid arthritis that women do not share - and that tailored channels of support may be needed to help them cope.
The unique struggles faced by men The study centred on a series of interviews carried out among six focus groups comprising 22 men, who were asked about their experiences and the impact their conditions have on their lives.

Their responses revealed that many men find that rheumatoid arthritis poses a challenge to their perceptions of their own masculinity, as the reductions in strength and abilities that the disease causes can lead to a loss of independence, undermining their desired social roles and causing them to feel powerless and out of control.

While some sought out information on how to manage their condition better, others had less productive coping methods, including adopting a "just get on with it" approach that often included social withdrawal or destructive behaviour such as excess drinking or physical overexertion.

The study group also indicated that many men lack support structures outside their immediate family, with the majority saying their friends were not understanding of their struggles.

What can be done to provide better support?
Although the study highlighted the fact that men often find it difficult to deal with their condition, the survey responses offered a mixed outlook on what should be done to address the problem.

A preference for information-giving sessions rather than a discussion group was expressed, although there was no strong consensus on whether these should be mixed-sex or men only, or who should run the sessions.

The researchers concluded: "Further research is needed to investigate whether these findings exist in a larger sample and whether the support preferences of men with rheumatoid arthritis are broadly different from those of women with rheumatoid arthritis to decide whether there is a clinical need to design a service for the potentially different needs of men."

Arthritis Research UK's view "Millions of men and women with arthritis wake up every morning facing the day in pain. We know from speaking to people with arthritis that they are more likely to have a lower quality of life than those without the condition, and that their mental health is negatively affected as a result.

"Currently, men with arthritis are outnumbered by women three to one: this means that men can sometimes be a forgotten group. This research highlights the need to tailor support for men so that they can access the information and support they need to live well with rheumatoid arthritis."

http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/news/general-news/2017/february/men-face-unique-challenges-when-coping-with-rheumatoid-arthritis.aspx