What Is Arthritis?

Arthritis is a painful condition of the joints that affects men and women, young and old, and in millions across the world. There is a misconception about arthritis, and it is that only the aged are affected by this disease. Well the truth is that, almost anyone can become a victim, even babies have been known to suffer from arthritis. And the disease is nothing new, arthritis has claimed its victims for ages, even centuries back there were records of kings and their followers complaining of pain in the joints. Though the disease was not understood properly at that time, but now with increased medical and scientific research on the subject, we today have a better understanding. Arthritis comes from the Greek words ‘arthro’ which means joint and ‘itis’, meaning inflammation.

Another common misconception about arthritis is that ‘it is a single disease’. In reality, that is far from the truth. Arthritis is actually a combination of 100 plus health issues, and all this come together to have an impact on the musculoskeletal system. And the affected areas are the muscle, the tendons, the cartilage and the bones, particularly the ones in the joints.

Though it is true that even younger people suffer from the disease, but even then, on closer observation and analysis it is seen that the probability of someone being affected increases manifold with age. This happens due to the normal wear and tear the human body goes through in a lifetime. With age, the natural immunity too goes down and this also complicates the issue.

Apart from age, other connections have also been established. For example it has been seen that more women tend to get affected with the pain than their male counterparts. Also those who are carrying extra pounds (obese) also tend to suffer more. This is because the extra fat in the body puts more pressure on the muscles, tendons and the bones in the joints.

To begin with, there would be swelling in the affected joints of the knees, elbows, hands and other parts of the body as well. Then there is the pain that can become really acute and severely affect the movements of the individual. So much so that the person may not be able to even move about within the house (like going to the loo and taking a shower), let alone going to work. The situation can become agonizing because when due to mobility loss, the person starts to sit at a place for long, this can too intensify the pain because sitting for long is also not good. On the other hand, walking along or physical activity too causes pain. This is why arthritis can be so frustrating.

When suffering from arthritis, it is necessary to seek immediate medical help, because a delay can lead to complications. Actually, arthritis is the leading cause of disability in seniors. When someone visits a physician, he will first suggest an x-ray to closely examine the affected area and analyze the damage done, before subscribing a remedy.

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