Arthritis
The word "arthritis" refers to inflammation of a joint. The most common symptoms are pain, swelling and stiffness in one or more joints and fatigue. There are more than 100 known types of arthritis but the two most common are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis the most common form of arthritis and is a condition where the bones become fragile and brittle, is caused by damage,
infection, hormonal changes or aging joints. It mainly affects people over the age of 45, but it can develop in younger people.
Osteoarthritis can affect any joint although it usually occurs in large weight-bearing joints such as hips, knees,
shoulders and the lower spine. It can also occur in the hands, particularly at the base of the thumb and the end joints of the fingers.
Symptoms
Many of the people we see have arthritic joints and have been told that they cannot be helped and must 'learn to live with it'.
In my experience this is rarely the case. Most people will respond to our treatment (click here to find out more) and will remain
pain free if they agree to have their condition properly managed. Indeed with those above the age of 40 - 50 years of age almost all
complaints and symptoms have osteoarthritis as a contributing factor and yet we can still help most people.
Do you want "to learn to live with it" or do you want to do something about it? If you do, give your nearest Back In Health Centre
a call and let us help you.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the joints, usually in the hands, feet and knees. Women are three times as likely as men to develop rheumatoid arthritis which usually starts to develop between 25 and 50 years of age. The body's immune system attacks the body's own tissues, rather than fighting diseases. When this happens, the tissue surrounding a joint (the "synovial membrane") becomes inflamed and thickened. This causes the body to produce increased amounts of fluid in the joints ("synovial fluid") causing swelling, pain and stiffness. If the joint continues to be inflamed, the bones, the cartilage that protects the joints, and the muscles and ligaments of the joint can all become damaged. In advanced rheumatoid arthritis, this inflammation and swelling can also cause the joint to become deformed and extremely painful.
Symptoms
Although there is no medical cure for rheumatoid arthritis, we have treatment (click here to find out more) protocols and strategies to manage the pain and help control the condition.
If you would like to keep doing what you want to in life give your nearest Back In Health Centre a call and let us help.
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