Arthritis - An Explanation

Arthritis, which affects the musculoskeletal system, generally refers to the slow erosion over time of the cushioning cartilage that is situated in the area between the bony joints and which normally protects them as they move against each other during normal exercise.

When I was eventually diagnosed with this condition I was told I must have had it for about 15 years although for much of that time I didn't know I had a problem. It is not always immediately apparent even though early arthritic symptoms can sometimes include some stiffness and restriction in movement. By the time it eventually shows up or is diagnosed, often the damage has been done, is irreversible and can only be corrected by surgery.

So prevention is definitely better than cure in this case and needs to involve taking special care to look after the cartilage in your body. As in the case of all living cells, specialised cartilage cells called chondrocytes normally go through a natural and continuous process of dying and being constantly replaced and require the right nutrients and environment to thrive.

In the case of Rheumatoid arthritis or following an injury however, inflammation can arise which produces an environment that is detrimental to and can attack and kill the cartilage cells more quickly than the body can replace them, especially if there aren't enough of the right nutrients available within the body to make joint repair feasible.

Arthritis can be a localized to one or more joints in the body such as the hip, shoulder or knee. Or it can be experienced as a more generalized condition throughout the body as a whole, generally affecting the muscles and soft tissues. Fibromyalgia or inflammatory Rheumatoid Arthritis would be a common type of arthritis under this category, as well as gout and as the condition varies so would the treatment although it is possible to have more than one type of arthritis at the same time requiring several different approaches.

This condition can start as early as infancy or childhood although it is not so common at this stage of life. It is much more common among adults in the over 60's, and shows up mostly in the form of osteoarthritis. As the American population ages, the number of people suffering with it is increasing and it is considered to be more common amongst people who have practised high impact sports for some time, thus increasing the wear and tear on the joints. The prime cause of disability in the United States of America these days is considered to be arthritis.

If you want to help prevent the onset of this debilitating and very common and painful disease I recommend you take the time to follow a few easy and simple, yet possibly life-changing steps.

* Watch your diet and seek to maintain your appropriate ideal weight

* Regularly consume plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit. They are a really good source of vitamins D and C

* Take the time to make sure that there is enough enough calcium in your diet

* Take regular low to medium- impact exercise and take care to reduce the risk of sports injuries

* Natural therapies have also been found to be very useful in both preventing damage and alleviating the pain and discomfort associated with arthritis, even sometimes curing it completely

* Take steps to reduce the level of stress in your life such as taking up meditation or setting aside some restful 'you time'