Arthritis is a very common medical condition, affecting about 7-8 million people in the UK. And affects women more than men. In fact it is not a single disease, but comes in about 200 different forms.
The term ‘arthritis’ essentially means an inflammation of the joints. This inflammation makes the joints painful, stiff, swollen, and in severe cases can significantly restrict movement. The two most common forms are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. This means that the immune system, which acts to repel infections and other foreign invaders, malfunctions, and attacks the tissues of the body itself.
Why this happens is unclear. Genetic factors play a role, but not in every case.
Specifically focusing on rheumatoid arthritis, this condition is caused by inflammation of the lining (synovium) of the joints.
In some people, it can also affect other parts of the body, including the blood, the lungs, and the heart. The joints affected by the disease may also lose shape, resulting in loss of normal movement.
Research suggests that in some cases the condition may be triggered by an infection. Rheumatoid arthritis causes affected joints to feel tender, stiff and swollen. The symptoms can last for a long period of time, or may suddenly flare up, and then recede again.
In severe cases the condition can cause serious joint damage and disability. So what is the current thinking on easing the symptoms of the condition? It is widely thought that eating a varied and balanced diet can help to reduce the symptoms of arthritis. Exercise, too, is thought to be helpful.
Physical therapy is widely used, as are alternative therapies such as acupuncture and magnet therapy, which I covered in 2005. There are, of course, many prescription medicines available for relief of the pain and inflammation of arthritis.
Each class of medicines works in a different way. Some are used only for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, while others help patients with both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Various types of surgery are used to treat arthritis, but usually only in serious cases where other treatments have failed but if you are one for whom this surgery is recommended, a successful outcome will undoubtedly bring a new lease of life.
Surgeries commonly undertaken on arthritis sufferers are:
Arthrodesis: A procedure to fuse the bones together in an arthritic joint by removing the cartilage and putting a bone graft in the joint. This is done to create a solid, and hopefully pain free, structure.
Arthroplasty: The rebuilding or replacement of an entire joint.
Arthroscopy: The use of tiny instruments to trim and wash out abnormal cartilage fragments, and/or bony overgrowths.
Osteotomy: A correction of hip or knee deformities in younger patients
Synovectomy: The removal of diseased lining of the joints.


Recent studies done using mice in Sweden apparently found that a small amount of alcohol in their water each day greatly reduced the onset of symptoms from their induced arthritis and once symptoms did develop those symptoms made far less impact than on the mice in the study who had not been given alcohol. It was concluded that a small amount of alcohol might stimulate testosterone, which in turn inhibits the release of proteins that trigger the inflammation of arthritis. As yet there have been no definitive guidelines as to how much or what type of alcohol might be recommended to relieve the pain of rheumatoid arthritis but I will keep an eye on this for you. Ancient Chinese herb treatments are also gaining popularity with those for whom the traditional prescribed medicines have not worked.

There are, as you would imagine many support groups in the UK for sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis and these can be very helpful in offering support and the understanding of those who are going through the same ups and down that you are. One that you could contact for further advice and excellent support is the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, whose details I have included for you.

National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society
Unit B4 Westacott Business Centre
Westacott Way
Littlewick Green
Maidenhead
Berkshire
SL6 3RT

I do believe that exercise is an answer to this problem. It is very easy to say, I'm aching I can't go for a walk but actually I have found that if you do, things ease up a bit. Also I think the over the counter cod liver oil tablets and glucosamine are helpful too. I have been taking them for some time now and find that I have greater range of movement in my arms as a result. (I used to find it impossible to reach behind me to do up my bra strap etc.)

It is an alarming fact that arthritis has reached epidemic or even pandemic incidence in the western world. Almost 1 in three people in the USA are reported to suffer from one of the 100 varieties of arthritis. These varieties range from the most common, osteoarthritis, to crippling rheumatoid arthritis, and perhaps not so commonly realised as part of the arthritis family, lupus and gout. In the UK unofficial estimates say that nine out of 10 people will have some form of arthritis before they die.

In its mildest form, arthritis is seems as an inevitability of the ageing process. The creaking bones and joints a sort of rite of passage. Rheumatoid arthritis, however strikes people at a younger age often occurring between the ages of 20 and 40, and affecting women at almost twice the rate of men. Arthritis affects the joints, but it can spread to other parts of the body. Basically the mechanism is that the synovial membrane around the joints becomes inflamed, which attracts more joint fluid to ease it. The resultant increased blood flow to the joint joint will eventually make it swell, become stiff and warm .

Surprisingly although it is such a common ailment medicine has as yet to find a cause for it. although in the past it has been thought it might have been due to a chronic infection of the joints although current wisdom tends to wards arthritis being hereditary. Yet other theories believe it may be caused by a micro organism, mycoplasma, while others point to a possible malfunction of the body's metabolic and immune system. However although many theories abound, no-one really, it seems has anything remotely certain to offer. The theory that arthritis is a malfunction of the immune system is the most favoured theory at the moment and is the theory most concentrated on in research laboratories.

I am Arthritis patient. Thanks for sharing this information.

I am really pleased that the information here has been on help. As this is a very common condition doctors can give a lot of help and put you in touch with support groups etc. but there is nothing like sharing your own experience with a fellow sufferer in my opinion. I have recently been to a spa in Italy which is made of of 9 mineral baths in which you sit and which bubble like a Jacuzzi. I must say that one of the other people there was an arthritis sufferer and had found the treatments so helpful and I myself although not suffering from arthritis, did find that any little niggles or aches and pains completely disappeared. If you are interested I can let you have the details. They are closed for this year but I would highly recommend it!