Arthritis, Crippling disease
Arthritis, as defined in the medical journals are diagnosed with inflammation of joints and severe pain at the joints leading to the loss of function of the joint. Now, even though it is generally associated with the age group of old people, it is also quite prevalent among others as well. In fact, there are teenagers and new born babies who suffer from this disease the cause for which could be multiple. One of the worst things about arthritis is that it is degenerative in nature. Along with the inflammation, the joints are slowly degenerating.
There are a number of variations of arthritis, but the two variations namely osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and the most common. The former one is mostly caused because of the joints wearing out due to stress exerted on them over a period of time. The latter one is rather a dangerous one where our immune system is made to believe that there is an infection at the joint. The natural response to this causes the inflammation and joint dysfunction.
Arthritis is commonly treated with Non-steroidal Anti Inflammatory drugs, which reduce the swelling and inflammation thus reducing the pain. But there are a lot of side effects associated with these drugs which include discomforts in intestinal tracts and sometimes the deterioration of the joints itself. There are always alternative treatments which include the usage of Glucosamine Sulfate, turmeric and fish oils. One of the ways to go about the treatment is to re build the deteriorated cartilage, which is done by Glucosamine. Curcumin, which is a compound present in turmeric, acts as an anti inflammatory agent thus reducing the pain. While Eicosapentaenoic acid and Docosahexaenoic acid reduce and inflammation, omega-3 fatty acid contribute to the general health of the body. There are found in fish oils.
Coping with arthritis is a pretty tough task. While there is effort made to manage their pain, we also need to help them in leading their life independently. Coming to managing their pain, there is always therapy, drugs and alternate medications but depending on the conditions of the joints, sometimes joint replacement surgeries are suggested. Leading an independent life in such cases is not generally easy, but with the right therapy and tools, it is not impossible. If the joints are not completely mobile due to some damage, then adjusting your lifestyle for the limited mobility might be the only option.
It is very challenging for anybody to live with a degenerative disease, especially arthritis. Due to the crippling effect of the disease, mobility becomes a great factor. This in turn makes it worse to keep up with the health of rest of the body. Physical exertion might not be an option, which is quite essential for the cardiovascular health. Although seeking cure for arthritis is appreciated, the better thing to do would be to go for a replacement surgery or aiming and reducing the pain and trying to lead an independent and fulfilling life. Learning to live with the ailment would be better than running behind the cure which may very well take a lifetime.