Are you looking for an Arthritis Cure? Arthritis is a disease that brings on stiffness and pain with swelling and it affects the muscles and the bones, especially the joints where it causes the most damage. The bones are protected in the joints by tissue called cartilage which acts as a buffer between the ends. The cells that the cartilage is made up of are known as the chondrocytes and function just like other glands and organs in the body. All chondrocytes will die and are usually replaced by new cartilage cells. This article will not focus on arthritis cures rather it will explain arthritis.

However, over time inflammation can kill more cartilage cells than the body can replace. This is more so if the body is undernourished and lacks the required nutrients to repair or the joint has suffered an injury. Lack of sufficient cartilage, can cause instability, joint weakness, pain and deformity, all of which affect and interrupt regular activities. Generally, arthritis can be treated with physical therapy, medication, and changes to the lifestyle the individual is used to living. Health care providers use joint replacement surgery as their last resort, once they have tried all of the less intrusive interventions, to try and relieve the discomfort.

Arthritis is divided into two main categories, i.e. localized and generalized depending on areas affected; it is further subdivided into sub-categories. The two localized conditions are bursitis and tendonitis; they affect the soft tissues surrounding the bones and joints. It could just be that the localized conditions could manifest themselves in just one of two joints being affected. It could also be that the patient is affected in a more general sense with no arthritis inflammation or signs of swelling. Fibromyalgia, even though it isn’t associated with joint damage, is a very common form which can be placed under this particular category.

The next condition in the second sub category causes inflammation which affects the whole body. Gout, psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are examples of this condition. Still other generalized situations include polymyositis, involving muscles, systemic lupus erythematosus involving the skin, kidneys and or other organs and vasculitis where any organ is involved.

An individual is capable of having more than just one arthritis type and it includes over one hundred different medical conditions that are known to affect roughly forty six million adults and three hundred thousand children within the United States. As early on as infancy, this condition can begin, even though it is most commonly seen in adults that are over the age of sixty, in the primary form of osteoarthritis. As the American population ages, the number of people suffering with it is increasing.

Medical care and indirect expenses costs over 124 billion dollars in the US where arthritis and related problems are the main cause of disability. Individuals can help prevent osteoarthritis by following a few simple steps: Maintaining appropriate weight and consuming fresh fruits and vegetables as a good source of vitamins c and d. By taking the time to make sure that you are consuming enough calcium, participate in regular exercise and avoiding injuries that are brought about due to sports activities, you can also help with prevention of this condition.