Arthritis


Arthritis is inflammation of one or more of your joints and conditions that affect joints, the tissues that surround joints, and other connective tissue. The main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness, which typically worsen with age.


The two most common types of arthritis are:

Osteoarthritis:


Osteoarthritis causes cartilage — the hard, slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones where they form a joint — to break down. Osteoarthritis pain, stiffness, or inflammation most frequently appears in the hips, knees, and hands.


Rheumatoid arthritis:


Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that first targets the lining of joints (synovium). Rheumatoid arthritis commonly affects the hands and wrists but can also affect areas of the body other than the joints.


Causes, incidence, and risk factors


Factors that put you at higher risk of suffering from arthritis include:


  • Age: Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout are more common as you age.
  • Being overweight or obese.
  • Having previous injuries or infections that affected the joint.
  • Playing sports or doing repetitive work that puts extra stress on certain joints.
  • Genetics: In rheumatoid arthritis, scientists have found genes involved in the immune system that are linked to a higher risk of getting the disease.
  • Gender: Women are more likely to get rheumatoid arthritis


SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS


The following are warning signs that you may be developing arthritis:


  • Pain, swelling, or tenderness in one or more joints
  • Cracking or crunching sounds with movement
  • Stiffness
  • Warmth or redness in the joints
  • Bony knobs that appear on the joints of the fingers
  • A decrease in how much you can move the joint in all directions (Reduced range of motion).


Rheumatoid arthritis has some particular additional signs, such as:


  • Anemia 
  • Dry eyes and mouth
  • Inflammation in other places such as blood vessels or the lining of the lungs or the heart
  • Joints on both sides of the body affected at the same time (for example, both ankles or both wrists)
  • General fatigue, fevers, feeling sick, weight loss—especially when it starts in elderly patients


Care & Treatment


To help you control your pain, maximize your joint movements, prevent or slow down joint damage, and stay as healthy and active as possible, your healthcare professional will use a multidisciplinary treatment approach. This will include:


  • Medications to control pain and joint swelling
  • Creams or sprays
  • Compounded Pain Creams to Relieve Arthritis Inflammation and Swelling
  • Exercise
  • Rest and joint care
  • Complementary (alternative) therapies in some cases
  • Surgery (for severe damage that severely impacts your daily life).
    • Joint fusion, for stabilizing the joint, and to reduce pain
    • Tendon repair, if your disease has severely damaged tendons in the joint
    • Removal of the lining of the joint.



Compounded Pain Creams to Relieve Arthritis Inflammation and Swelling: Fight Arthritis Pain Without Pills.


Relying on painkillers to fight arthritis pain can be difficult as we find that some drugs aren't as safe or effective as we thought, so many people explore alternative pain relief therapies. Patients also experience severe drowsiness, dizziness, and many other side effects that may be associated with an oral route of pain medication. The best solution is having a compounding pharmacy put together a number of different medications with different mechanisms of action into a compounded cream that is applied directly over the site of pain and is absorbed through the skin. 

 

Every individual is unique, and the types of pain experienced can be equally diverse. By working with a compounding pharmacist, your healthcare provider can prescribe treatments tailored specifically for your pain management needs.

 

Benefits of Compounded Creams

Delivered directly to the pain receptors
Minimizes systemic absorption
Targets numerous pain receptors at once
Fewer adverse effects (such as renal and gastric effects from NSAIDs)
Reduces drug-drug interactions
Non-addictive formulations
Good for patients with difficulty swallowing pills


Monitoring


Once you know your diagnosis, your healthcare professional will schedule regular appointments depending on the seriousness of your condition. This is especially important if you have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. You may need regular blood test monitoring if you are taking certain medications.  

 

References:

http://www.healthinaging.org/aging-and-health-a-to-z/topic:arthritis/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/arthritis/basics/lifestyle-home-remedies/con-20034095