What is Arthritis and Home Remedies for Arthritis?

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What is the meaning of Home Remedies for Arthritis?

Home remedies for Arthritis are natural medications made with ingredients available at home for effective treatment of arthritis. Arthritis is a disorder associated with pain, swelling, and inflammation of the joints, which is a place where two bones meet and can move. Arthritis can affect one or many joints. Arthritis is mostly seen in adults over the age of 65years, but it can also be seen in children and younger adults. Arthritis is more commonly seen in women and overweight or obese people.

In this article, we will be discussing Arthritis and the effective Home Remedies for Arthritis.

• What is Arthritis?
• What are the different types of Arthritis?
• What are the causes and risk factors of Arthritis?
• What are the symptoms of Arthritis?
• How to diagnose Arthritis?
• What is the treatment for Arthritis?
• What are the home remedies for arthritis? 

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis is a disease in which there is pain,stiffness and inflammation of one or more joints. Arthritis is commonly seen in the feet, hands, lower back, knees, and hip region of the body. This is a condition that worsens with age. 

The most common types of Arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Treatments depend upon the type of arthritis, where the purpose of treatment is to reduce the pain and associated symptoms. 

What are the different types of Arthritis?

Arthritis can be of more than a hundred different types. Some of the common types of arthritis include:

• Osteoarthritis: It is the most common type of arthritis that occurs due to an injury or increase in age.
• Rheumatoid arthritis: It is an autoimmune type of arthritis, that is when the body’s immune system starts attacking the healthy cells of the body by mistake.
• Infectious arthritis: A type of infection that spreads to the joint from another part of the body.
• Juvenile arthritis: This condition is seen in children who are 16 years or younger.
• Psoriatic arthritis: This type of arthritis is seen in people having psoriasis, that is, an autoimmune disorder causing irritation of the skin.
• Gout: It is a painful arthritis condition that happens due to the build-up of uric acid in the body. It is usually seen first in the big toe.

What are the causes and risk factors of Arthritis?

The different causes of arthritis are-

• Old age– The risk of arthritis mainly osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis increase with age. 
• Family history of arthritis– The person is more prone to developing arthritis if his/ her parents or siblings have the disorder too. The environmental factors tend to trigger and cause arthritis faster in such cases. 
• Autoimmune diseases- In such cases, the body’s immune system attacks the lining of the joint capsule between the bones. This leads to swelling and destruction of the cartilage and bone within the joint. 
• Viral infections– that may spread from other sites to the joint cavity lead to swelling and pain, triggering arthritis.
• Sportsmen due to repeated stress on the joints- This is due to repeated injury to the joint triggers swelling and may lead to arthritis in that joint. 
• Smoking
• Lack of exercise– This causes stiffness in the joints and may lead to arthritis. 
• ( Know more about- Exercise for Weight Loss )
• Obesity– Heavy weight of the body puts extra stresses on the knee, hip and spine joints. These people are more prone to developing arthritis.  ( Know more about- What is Bariatric Surgery? How does it help to reduce Obesity? )
• Sex- Women are more susceptible to rheumatoid arthritis and men have gout type of arthritis more commonly.

What are the symptoms of Arthritis?

The symptoms vary depending on the type of arthritis and the severity of the disease. The symptoms associated with arthritis are:

• Joint pain ( Know more about- Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Prevention of Elbow Pain )
• Swelling of the joint
• Redness of the skin over the joint affected
• Stiffness of the joint
• Feeling of warmth over the skin
• Inability to carry normal day to day functions due to decreased range of joint movements.

How to diagnose Arthritis?

• The doctor will first do a physical examination of the patient. 
• The patient’s medical history and family history are noted by the doctor.
• The doctor will check the range of motion and mobility in the joints, along with the tenderness or swelling around the joint region.
• The doctor may advise the following tests of the joint affected to confirm the diagnosis of arthritis-

• X-ray
• MRI scan
• Ultrasound

All these tests mentioned above are useful in detecting the following-

1. Bone fractures and dislocations ( Know more about- What is Bone Fracture? Causes, Symptoms, Treatment )
2. Cartilage breakdown around the joints
3. Inflammation of the soft tissues
4. Injuries of the muscle, tendon, or the ligament near the joints

• In case of suspected rheumatoid arthritis or gout, the doctor may also recommend a blood test to check for the presence of inflammatory proteins or uric acid, respectively, in the blood.

What is the treatment for Arthritis?

There is no definitive treatment for arthritis. However, certain forms of treatment will help in treating the symptoms associated with arthritis-

• Medications: Pain and anti-inflammatory medications may help in relieving the symptoms associated with arthritis.
• Physiotherapy: Certain exercises may help in improving the mobility and strength of the muscles around the joint that is affected.  (Know more about- What is Physiotherapy? ) 
• Therapeutic injections: The use of injections like cortisone shots may help in reducing the inflammation and pain in the joints. 
• Viscosupplementation: In cases of arthritis occurring at the knee joint, a lubricant is injected to allow smooth movement of the joint.
• Surgery: Surgery is recommended in very severe cases of arthritis, which cannot be treated by other forms of treatment. Surgery can be of the following two types:

1. Fusion: The permanent fusion of two or more bones, causing immobilization of the joint and reducing the pain that occurs due to movement is called fusion.
2. Joint replacement: It is a procedure of replacing the damaged joint with a new artificial joint. This helps in preserving the function of the joint and restoration of movement. Common examples of joint replacement are knee replacement, hip replacement, ankle replacement, and shoulder replacement. ( Know more about- What is Total Hip Replacement Surgery? ) 

As stated above, arthritis affects the aged people more, causing severe joint pain, joint swelling and difficulty in walking. The knee joint is severely affected and Knee replacement surgery is recommended in severe cases of arthritis. There are many good hospitals in different parts and cities in India where knee replacement surgery is performed with great expertise. 

What are the home remedies for arthritis? 

The following are the home remedies for arthritis.

• Lemon juice: Lemon has many antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. It is very beneficial in reducing arthritis pain.  
• Bathua juice: Bathua is a green leafy vegetable. It contains many types of vitamins and calcium, which are very good for the muscles. Bathua juice should be consumed to get relief from arthritis pain. 
• Aloe Vera gel: Aloe Vera gel is considered to be of medicinal use for a number of diseases. It is very beneficial in arthritis. This will give a lot of comfort to the patient.
• Green leafy vegetables: Green vegetables contain numerous nutritional elements and minerals, which relieve joint pain. Green leafy vegetables provide calcium to the body, which is very beneficial for the bones.
• Benefits of ginger: Ginger is considered to be a very good home remedy for multiple diseases. To overcome the problems of the bones, ginger must be used. (Know more about – Benefits and Side effects of Ginger) 
• Use of garlic: Garlic is quite beneficial in purifying the blood. It provides relief from arthritis pain. Two or four pieces of garlic should be taken. This does not cause any harm to the body.
• Ashwagandha powder: It is beneficial for all types of pain. Ashwagandha powder should be consumed to relieve the pain of arthritis. Mix Ashwagandha powder in water and drink it in the morning and evening. It provides quick relief from pain
• Castor oil: Massage the joints properly with castor oil. It has natural properties which absorb the pain. Massage castor oil on the joints for about two weeks to get relief from the pain. 
• Potato juice: Consumption of potato juice helps to relieve the pain of arthritis. Therefore, it is beneficial for people suffering from arthritis. Potatoes are also useful for health.

We hope we have answered all your questions about Arthritis and the various Home Remedies for Arthritis through this article.

If you want more information about Arthritis and treatment of Arthritis, contact a Rheumatologist. 

We only aim to give you information through this article. We do not recommend any medication or treatment. Only a doctor can give you the best advice and correct treatment plan.