Natural Supplements and Remedies for Arthritis

Arthritis

Arthritis (from Greek arthro-, joint + -itis, inflammation; plural: arthritides) is a group of conditions where there is damage caused to the joints of the body. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in people over the age of 55.

There are many different forms of arthritis, each has a different cause. The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) follows trauma to the joint, after an infection of the joint or resulting from aging. Furthermore, emerging evidence suggests that abnormal anatomy might contribute to the early development of osteoarthritis. Other arthritis forms are rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, which are autoimmune diseases wherein the body attacks itself. Septic arthritis is caused by joint infection. Gouty arthritis is caused by deposition of uric acid crystals in the joint, subsequently inflaming it. Additionally, there is an uncommon form of gout caused by the formation of rhomboid crystals of calcium pyrophosphate. This gout is known as pseudogout.

History and physical examination

All arthritics feature pain. Patterns of pain differ among the arthritics and the location. Osteoarthritis is classically worse at night or following rest. Rheumatoid arthritis is generally worse in the morning; in the early stages, patients often do not have symptoms following their morning shower. In elderly people and children, pain may not be the main feature, and the patient simply moves less (elderly) or refuses to use the affected limb (children).

Elements of the history of the disorder guide diagnosis. Important features are speed and time of onset, pattern of joint involvement, symmetry of symptoms, early morning stiffness, tenderness, gelling with inactivity, or locking, aggravating and relieving factors and other systemic symptoms. Physical examination may confirm the diagnosis, or may indicate systemic disease. Radiographs are often used to follow progression or assess severity in a more quantitative manner.

Types of arthritis

Primary forms of arthritis:

* Osteoarthritis
* Rheumatoid arthritis
* Septic arthritis
* Gout and pseudogout
* Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
* Still's disease
* Ankylosing spondylitis

Secondary to other diseases:

* Lupus erythematosus
* Henoch-Schönlein purpura
* Psoriatic arthritis
* Reactive arthritis
* Haemochromatosis
* Hepatitis
* Wegener's granulomatosis (and many other vasculitis syndromes)
* Lyme disease
* Familial Mediterranean fever
* Hyperimmunoglobulinemia D with recurrent fever
* TNF receptor associated periodic syndrome
* Inflammatory bowel disease (Including Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis)

Diseases that can mimic arthritis include:

* Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy
* Multiple myeloma
* Osteoporosis
* Fifth disease



Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthritis