Rheumatic Arthritis or Rheumatism: How to keep the disease from progressing; tips to keep your mobility intact

From timesnownews.com

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that can affect not just your joints but a wide variety of body systems, including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart and blood vessels. Your doctor knows best

Key Highlights

• Unlike the wear-and-tear damage of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis affects the lining of your joints, causing a painful swelling that can eventually result in bone erosion and joint deformity.

• Do see your doctor if you have persistent discomfort and swelling in your joints.

• It is important to stay active and retain the quality of life that you best can with the given affliction.

You may have heard of people saying that they have Rheumatoid Arthritis or Rheumatic pain. For a non-medical person, it sounds a complex thing to have and not easily understood as to how it is any different from simple arthritis.

What is arthritis:
Arthritis is the swelling and tenderness of one or more of your joints. Arthritis brings along joint pain and stiffness, which typically worsen with age. 

You need not right away learn about all these types of arthritis but their names are listed below:

• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Gout
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Reactive arthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Septic arthritis
• Thumb arthritis

The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. 

• Osteoarthritis causes cartilage — the hard, slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones where they form a joint — to break down. 
• Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition wherein a person's own immune system attacks the joints, beginning with the lining of joints.
• Uric acid crystals, which form when there's too much uric acid in your blood, can cause gout. Infections or underlying diseases, such as psoriasis or lupus, can cause other types of arthritis.

Rheumatism or Rheumatic syndrome can progress into a debilitating condition. 

Photo Credit: iStock Images     

Rheumatic Arthritis:

1. If one has Rheumatic arthritis or Rheumatism, these are the symptoms:
2. Pain or discomfort, usually perceived in the vicinity of one or more joints (including the spine);
3. Pain on motion of the affected area(s);
4. Soreness (to the touch) of the affected region(s); 
5. Stiffness of the affected part(s), especially after a period of immobility;
6. Symptomatic improvement after mild exercise, but worsening after vigorous exercise; 
7. Symptomatic worsening in response to climatic factors, especially falling barometric pressure and rising humidity; and 
8. Symptomatic improvement in response to warming the affected area(s). 

Most Rheumatic pain syndromes will at least have the first four symptoms, according to the Mayo clinic website.

These factors enhance your chances of developing arthritis:

1. Family history of the disorder. 
2. Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout are mostly associated with advancing age.
3. Women are more likely than men to develop rheumatoid arthritis, men more prone to developing gout arthritis.
4. Previous joint injury. 
5. Obesity. Excess weight puts stress on joints, particularly your knees, hips and spine. 

Retain your mobility, see a doctor regularly:
You must see a doctor as soon as you start developing these aches and pains in the joint. Not all types of arthritis are treated in one blanket formula manner. Treatments vary depending on the type of arthritis and doctors focus on trying to reduce symptoms and improve the patient's quality of life.
If your doctor is monitoring your symptoms and they do develop into RA, you'll be able to start treatment as soon as the diagnosis is made. And early treatment is really important in order to slow or prevent the progression of the disease. 

Doctors advise patients of RA to have the following:

• Regular exercise
• Stress management techniques
• Friends and support groups familiar with the challenges of both conditions

People with all types of arthritis are at high risk of depression and anxiety. So, all the above factors are woven around that thought that with a fitter body and mind and positive support system, their quality of life will stay high.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

https://www.timesnownews.com/health/article/rheumatic-arthritis-or-rheumatism-how-to-keep-the-disease-from-progressing-tips-to-keep-your-mobility-intact/737823