pain & arthritis
‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍tualatin, OR

Pain is your body's alarm system, which conveys that something is wrong with your body. The nerves in your body release chemicals to indicate injury or damage to any part of your body. The nerves act like telephone wires and send signals to the brain, which recognizes it as pain. Pain communicates the fact that you need to do something about it to get relief. It is the body's way to protect you from further harm.

While short-term pain can be controlled with pain killers, chronic or long-lasting pain isn't sufficiently relieved with medication use. Managing chronic pain is very important, or else it can disrupt your life.

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What is Arthritis Pain?

Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints. It can affect one or multiple joints. The two most types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis is most common in adults, but it can affect children and teenagers. Arthritis pain can be caused due to multiple reasons such as:

• Pain can be due to muscle strain caused by overworked muscles.
• It can be due to inflammation, which causes the redness and swelling of the joints.
• It may be due to the damage of joint tissues triggered by excessive wear and tear.
• Fatigue caused by the disease process can make the pain worse and difficult to handle.

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What are the causes of arthritis?

A reduction in the average amount of cartilage can cause arthritis. The cartilage is a flexible connective tissue of the joints, and it protects the joints by absorbing the pressure and shock created when you move and stress them.

Osteoarthritis, one of the most common forms of arthritis, can be caused due to the tissues' normal wear and tear. An infection or injury to the joints can aggravate the breakdown of the cartilage tissue. It can also be caused due to hereditary reasons.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disorder. It occurs when the body's immune system attacks the tissues of the body. This form of arthritis affects the synovium, a soft tissue present in the joints that produce a fluid that nurtures the cartilage and lubricates the joints. When the synovium is attacked, it can lead to the destruction of the joint.

What are the symptoms of arthritis?

The most common symptoms of arthritis are pain and swelling in the joints and stiffness of the body. There will be redness of the skin around the joints, and the person's mobility will be affected. In rheumatoid arthritis, one may feel tired or experience a loss of appetite due to the inflammation. If untreated, it may cause severe joint deformity.

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How can you control arthritis pain?

There are many ways in which arthritis pain can be managed and controlled.

• Try to learn new ways to reduce the pain.
• Lead an active lifestyle by increasing your physical and social activity.
• Avoid unnecessary medication.
• Change pain habits that disrupt your everyday lifestyle.
• Exercise regularly to manage the pain and ease the symptoms.
• Take the help of a physical or occupational therapist.
• Try to research your condition and learn what causes the pain and ways to control it.
• Alternative therapy can also be an option.
• Learn to do routine tasks in a way that reduces stress on the joints.

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