Arthritis - Symptoms of Arthritis

Symptoms of arthritis may vary from person to person, however there is normally a common theme running behind the symptoms which will make it easier for you to spot if you are developing arthritis or if in fact you just have some aches and pains, and that is what we are going to look at now.

On the whole, the main symptoms of arthritis tend to be pain and limited function of joints. Also  another characteristic of arthritis is to have inflammation of the joints that are stiff and this could also be accompanied by swelling, redness, and warmth. Sometimes these symptoms may occur and  then, for some unknown reason, they may not return for several years. One thing to be aware of though, is that if your pain is accompanied with fever, then you need to see a doctor as soon as you can, as this kind of arthritis can sometimes be deadly..

Osteoarthritis is more prevalent in people as they start to reach older age, and  they start to feel the joint inflammation which causes pain and swelling.  Joints are surrounded by a capsule, which work as their protection. A tissue called synovium, lines the capsule and produces synovial fluid that aides the joint tissues by nourishing and lubricating them, and it is the breakdown in this process that can lead to joint inflammation. Arthritis symptoms may flare up suddenly or appear gradually over a period of time.

Joint stiffness and pain may be mild one day but become so severe the next day that it is impossible to move that particular area without being in a great deal of pain. Now if you couple this with issues such as being overweight, then you are going to put extra pressure on the affected area, especially  if the arthritis is in the hip knee or spine area. Joint problems can become a major long-term symptom. Other possible features of this form of arthritis include inflammation of the outer lining of the heart (pericarditis) or the lungs (pleuritis); anemia and high white blood cells and platelets (cells that help with clotting); and enlarged lymph nodes, liver or spleen.

Researchers have identified several risk factors for developing arthritis. For example, osteoarthritis is often blamed on genes that cause weakness in the cartilage. Researchers at Tufts University found that bone and cartilage deteriorated faster in those with a low vitamin D status. Research has shown that it does matter for certain medications. When you take your medications may impact their effectiveness.

Medications can be used to treat the pain and inflammation, but there are many natural remedies that have been more successful in treating the cause of the inflammatory arthritis. However, as with most things these days there is a growing demand for natural remedies to treat arthritis. Now opinions vary as to which is the most effective, natural or medical and personally I really think that it comes down to your own beliefs which way to go, but which ever route you choose, you may want to get the advice of someone that specializes in that field, such as a homeopath for sake of argument