Methods of Treatment For Arthritis

Arthritis is a degenerative disease that affects joints, bones, ligaments and tendons, and in itself has about one hundred and fifty classifications. The methods of treatment for arthritis vary depending upon the type of classification and the level of progression the disease has already reached.

Taking into consideration three common categories, one can take a look into the different treatment approaches for each arthritis category. The most commonly diagnosed types are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout (also known as gouty arthritis).

Osteoarthritis usually occurs after an injury or after strenuous repetitive actions that place too much stress on certain joints (this is common for athletes who do a lot of running and jumping and so on). The signs of osteoarthritis usually take place when an individual reaches the age of forty and up, as this is the period when degeneration of bones starts to set in.

Treatments for osteoarthritis usually include weight control for overweight individuals, increased exercise in order to strengthen joints and muscles and increasing circulation, heat and cold therapy to rapidly reduce pain temporarily in order to be able to do additional exercises, prescribed pain medications, electrical nerve stimulation (also known as TENS), acupuncture, massage, physical therapy and yoga. Some individuals also undergo stress management options as stress has been known to trigger and worsen arthritis symptoms.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder wherein the body's immune system or antibodies actually attack the ligaments and tendons that keep the bones and muscles bonded. It is the most dangerous form of arthritis because it is chronic and can progress towards total crippling of joints, rendering a patient immobilized and in constant pain.

Treatments for rheumatoid arthritis consist of first reducing pain with medications, exercise, hot and cold therapy, physiotherapy, and Prosorba. Prosorba is a type of medical intervention wherein the patients who have rheumatoid arthritis causing antibodies in their blood basically get their blood filtered in order to cleanse them of this autoimmune disorder.

Gout, or gouty arthritis, is another form of arthritis that is a result of excess uric acid that has accumulated and formed crystals in the system, getting stuck in the spaces of the joints. This causes inflammation of joints and ligaments and consequently excruciating pain.

Treatments for gout basically use certain medications to lower the uric acid levels and the crystallized acid is eventually dissipated. Lowering the acid level can also be achieved by going on a consistent diet that avoids food high in purines.

Although the symptoms may go away after the treatment, this does not mean that any of these types of arthritis are actually cured. The most that any type of arthritis treatment can guarantee is remission of the disease, or relief from the pain caused by the disease. There is still a greater chance for symptoms and pain to come back especially if the patient should stop taking medications or completely ignore his treatment regimen.

Only arthritic conditions caused by such infections as Lyme disease or different types of bacterial arthritis can be cured completely by antibiotics. Sad to say, because the most common arthritis types listed above are by nature degenerative and progressive, there is no real cure for the more common arthritic types.