There are more than one hundred kinds of arthritis, and all of them are painful and involve some combination of swelling, stiffness, and inflammation in the joints and their surrounding tissues. Milder varieties of arthritis can be aggravating and inconvenient, while more extreme conditions can render the sufferer immobile.
Treatment for arthritis is generally a multi-leveled wellness approach that combines diet and exercise with lifestyle changes that decrease stress and tension, and help the body detoxify. Surgery for arthritis should ideally be a last resort. Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and gout are the three most commonly diagnosed types of arthritis. Of these, osteoarthritis is the most common, especially among women. Osteoarthritis is caused by the hardening and deterioration of the body's cartilage, which acts as a protective, shock absorbing layer between the bones. When the cartilage hardens or deteriorates the bones in the body rub together, creating irritation, inflammation, swelling, and pain.
Cartilage cells normally renew themselves when old or damaged, however factors like poor nutrition and too little exercise deprive the body of the necessary nutrients to manufacture new cartilage. An absence of cartilage can also contribute to the development of bone spurs, and excessive hardening of the bones, which can lead to breaks and fractures.
Some of the most common causes of arthritis are injuries, body toxicity, age, hormones, bacterial or fungal infections, and genetics. Environmental factors like allergens have also been linked to arthritis. Women are more commonly affected by hormonal shifts that lead to arthritis, as the decrease of estrogen that accompanies menopause is directly linked to bone loss; in fact, post-menopausal women account for the largest numbers of diagnosed osteoarthritis cases. However, men also experience bone loss after drops in testosterone. Hormone treatment therapies are common for both men and women who experience dramatic shifts in hormones to prevent bone loss. However, these treatments are losing credibility because of their myriad negative side effects, and the fact that after the treatments end, the bone loss resumes.
Like cartilage, collagen is an elastic protein found throughout the body that is essential to bone health. Collagen binds the body's tissues together, but is susceptible to damage by free radicals due to old age, bad dietary habits, and lack of exercise. When the body's collagen starts to break down, the symptoms range from wrinkles to fragility of the bones. This can cause increased vulnerability to sprains, fractures, and breaks, as well as arthritis.
Amending your lifestyle to reduce stress, while introducing a healthy diet and exercise plan is the best way to ensure collagen and cartilage cells stay intact and continue to renew themselves. Reducing stress is important, as it helps regulate your body's hormones, which, among other things, safeguard your bones. A diet high in antioxidants can arm your body against free radical damage, and high antioxidant foods have the added benefit of being anti-inflammatory. A balanced diet, plenty of exercise and a healthy dose of relaxation will all help to improve your overall health. None of these things require a lot of money to accomplish, just time and understanding.
Author Resource:-
Click here to visit our main website. See our web page on arthritis treatment.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.articlesbacklink.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
