Over time, many people will experience stiffness and pain in the joints. Joints that are affected include those that are frequently used. These include the knees, hips, hands, elbows and shoulders. The ability to move and function physically is greatly diminished when one or multiple joints are attacked by such symptoms.
If one day you feel some pain and tenderness at a particular joint of your body, you may be suffering from arthritis. While it can affect people in the older age bracket, it can, in fact, affect anyone at any age. Arthritis simply means inflammation of the joints. Of course where there is swelling, there’s also pain.
The disease has many types. To date, there are over 100 – and still growing. Each one is classified based on the cause and what the symptoms are. But the most popular type of arthritis is osteoarthritis. This is brought about by wear and tear of the cartilage of the joints. Cartilage is a tough, elastic tissue that facilitates joint movement. It acts like a cushion which, when worn out, tremendously affects joint movements.
It’s extremely difficult to carry out daily tasks with arthritis. The swelling disallows movement as the pain can be really excruciating. There are different arthritis remedies given to someone afflicted with it, depending on the severity of the case. For most cases, oral intake of pain medications helps alleviate the symptoms. Such medications include ibuprofen, paracetamol, and NSAIDs. But for severe ones, injection of cortisone directly to the joint, or even surgery, may be necessary.
There are also natural means of dealing with the joint disease. Glucosamine works wonders in the repair of worn out cartilages. While the body can produce its own glucosamine, the amount is not enough for huge damages caused by osteoarthritis. The contents of glucosamine supplements come from animal sources like crabs, oysters, and other shellfish.
For vegans or those with allergies to such food sources, there’s vegetarian glucosamine. This type comes from vegetable sources. Through a special fermentation process, the glucosamine contents may be extracted. It can also be easily absorbed in the intestines, providing an effective alternative to one that’s derived from shellfish.
Others take on the alkaline diet. Basically, the diet consists of eating mainly fruits and vegetables – alkaline rich foods. Too much acidity in the body is linked to several different illnesses, including arthritis. By increasing the alkalinity of the body, excessive acid is neutralized. An alkaline diet is not only great for alleviating arthritis. It also boosts your immune system as fruits and vegetables contain loads of essential nutrients. This way, you can ward off arthritis and other diseases.