Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that causes inflammation and stiffness in the joints. In majority of the cases, arthritis causes pain and swelling in joints and it is caused by the combination of several factors. This includes a physically demanding job, any previous injury, obesity, autoimmune disease along with many other factors.
Symptoms
Here is a list of some of the most common signs of arthritis:
- Joint pain
- Stiffness in one or more of the joints
- Minor joint swelling
- Loss of appetite or weight loss
- Redness around the joint
How is Arthritis diagnosed?
The doctor may perform some test to confirm diagnosis. In order to assess the severity of the condition the following tests are conducted by the doctor:
- X-rays: This shows cartilage loss, bone damage and spurs. X-ray may not reveal early arthritic damage, but is done to track progression of the disease.
- Computerized tomography (CT) scan: This test records the cross-sections of the body in order to give detailed pictures of the skeleton and other tissues.
- Ultrasound: This is done to detect the inflammation around the joints
Treating Arthritis
When it comes to treating arthritis, the doctor may recommend a course of physical therapies to help you. These therapies may include:
- Physiotherapy: Specific exercises sometimes may combined with pain-relieving treatments such as heat or ice packs and massage
- Hydrotherapy: It includes exercise in a warm water pool, thus it puts less pressure on the muscle and pain
Other than therapies, surgery for such problem can also be recommended by the doctor. Surgery may be advised if the damage to the joint is severe and when other treatments are not being able to reduce the pain. Today, joint replacements are very successful, different joints, including knee, hip, shoulder and elbow are replaced in people with advanced arthritis.
Drugs for Arthritis
If you are diagnosed with Arthritis, it is important to start the treatment as soon as possible. The widely recommended medicine for its treatment includes Celebrex. All medications have some positive as well as side effects. Hence, it is important to follow the doctor’s instruction regarding the medicine in order to have its safe effects on the body.