WHAT IS ARTHRITIS?
Arthritis is a very common disease of the joints. In fact, globally, more than 350 million people are suffering from arthritis. Older people are more prone to getting arthritis than younger people. However, youngsters can also develop arthritis due to several conditions. Arthritis is of many types, but in general, arthritis means the inflammation of the joints. Joints are the areas in your body where the two bones meet each other and connect. Now, the human body has various joints. The three types of joints are, Fibrous (immovable joints), Cartilaginous, (partially moveable joints), and lastly, Synovial (moveable joints). Arthritis can occur in any of these joints. Arthritis greatly affects the mobility of the joints.
WHAT CAUSES ARTHRITIS?
A person can develop arthritis due to many reasons. However, aging, smoking, a history of arthritis in the family, continuous stress on joints, abnormal metabolism, autoimmune diseases, and viral infections, can play a major role in the development of arthritis. In some cases, the crystals of uric acid can also build up and collect on a particular joint. This may cause arthritis in that particular joint. It mostly occurs in the foot. Moreover, obesity can also cause the chance of arthritis in the body. The joints have to be under much larger and constant stress due to obesity.
WHAT ARE THE MAJOR SYMPTOMS OF ARTHRITIS?
The inflammation of the joints is very likely to cause a lot of pain and trouble in movement. This pain can vary from condition to condition. Other major symptoms include difficulty in grasping/ gripping things, bending, climbing stairs, walking, etc. Moreover, people who have arthritis also suffer from morning stiffness. Morning stiffness can last for about 20-30 minutes. During morning stiffness, a person becomes incapable of moving the joint without extreme pain. They have to wait for the joint to unstiffen, in order to continue with the movement. Internal symptoms include the warmness of the joint (i.e., the joint may feel warm to the touch), tenderness, stiffness, redness, etc.
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ARTHRITIS
Did you know, the condition arthritis is not a single disease and can refer to almost 200 rheumatic diseases that affect the joints. The most common types of arthritis are:
- Osteoarthritis: It occurs when the cartilage in the joints starts to wear and tear. This causes the joints to rub together, resulting in the inflammation of the joints. Osteoarthritis is fairly common.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: This is an autoimmune disease that affects the healthy joint tissues of the body.
- Psoriatic Arthritis: This type is usually seen in people who have a certain skin condition called psoriasis. Psoriasis causes red itchy patches to develop on different parts of the skin, most commonly, the knees, elbows, scalp, and trunk.
- Gout: As mentioned above, gout is the buildup and deposit of uric acid crystals on various joints. It usually occurs in the feet.
- Lupus: This is also an autoimmune disease and can affect or damage different joints and connective tissues in the body. This disease is more commonly seen in women.
- Juvenile arthritis (JA): This type is usually seen in children under the age of 16. It is also an autoimmune disease and it affects the joints of children.
- Spondyloarthropathies: This is an autoimmune disease that attacks directly the tendons and ligaments of the body. This disease can greatly damage the spine and pelvis.
TREATING:
There are numerous ways to treat arthritis including medications, physiotherapy, and therapeutic injections. Surgery may also be required under severe cases of it. For example, surgery may be required in a condition where the bones end up completely fusing with each other and the joint gets completely disregarded. Surgery can also be required for the replacement of original joints with an artificial joint.
PHYSIOTHERAPY FOR ARTHRITIS:
Physiotherapy can prove to be greatly beneficial for patients with arthritis. Physiotherapists help treat it with various exercises, massages, and sometimes, acupuncture. Physiotherapy can greatly help the patients to maintain control over their joints. Moreover, it can prevent the bones from getting fused together due to immobility.
FINDING A PHYSIOTHERAPIST IN LAHORE:
If you’re looking for the best physiotherapist in Lahore, to help you with the pain and suffering of arthritis, “Holistic Healthcare Services” may be the most reliable and convenient option. Their proficiently trained physiotherapists, provide the services of physiotherapy treatment in Lahore as well.
