| Arthritis, or joint inflammation, affects millions of | | | | after a series of activities that wear the joints |
| people. Arthritis pain typically is a result of the actual | | | | affected by the disease. Depending on how much |
| inflammation of the joint or joints and the synovial | | | | the pain bothers a patient and when, the patient and |
| tissue layer. The synovial tissue is the soft tissue that | | | | his or her doctor will discuss and come up with a |
| lines the joints of the body. Arthritis can cause strain | | | | personalized pain treatment plan. |
| on the ligaments, sinews, organs and muscles as well | | | | There are several main ways of treating arthritic pain. |
| as contributing to fatigue. One or more of these | | | | Many patients benefit from just one form of |
| symptoms can worsen the arthritic pain that is | | | | treatment while others must undergo a series of |
| already present. | | | | treatments or a combination of treatments. It is very |
| Arthritis pain can inhibit normal daily activity and impair | | | | common for a patient to try one treatment before |
| a person's life making even the simplest activities | | | | going on to the next. |
| uncomfortable or painful. There are many types of | | | | Most often, arthritis is treated with medications - |
| arthritis and all of them vary in severity. Acute | | | | usually non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or |
| arthritis pain is usually temporary and sporadic. Chronic | | | | NSAIDs. These drugs are typically used for |
| arthritis pain is the occurrence of pain for a regular | | | | short-term relief and can easily alleviate the |
| and extended period of time ranging from days to | | | | discomfort associated with inflammation. NSAIDs are |
| months to even years. In fact, some chronic arthritis | | | | the most common medications used for rheumatoid |
| pain can made it very difficult for some people to | | | | arthritis and osteoarthritis. |
| maintain a regular job. | | | | Aside from medications, exercise is a very effective |
| Every arthritis patient experiences the pain | | | | form of arthritis treatment. Regular exercise can help |
| associated with the disease differently. Sometimes | | | | reduce the amount of joint pain and stiffness. While a |
| the pain is aggravated and evident with redness, or a | | | | person exercises, he or she promotes stretching, |
| feeling of heat, in the joint areas. Other times there | | | | which is ideal for arthritis symptoms. Before engaging |
| is swelling in the joint area, or just a constant pain | | | | in an exercise plan, it is best to discuss it with a |
| that results from arthritic damage. Every patient's | | | | doctor. |
| pain threshold is different and thus may cause them | | | | A more extreme form of arthritis treatment is |
| to seek help with the pain at different stage of the | | | | surgery. Usually, surgery is reserved for those |
| disease. | | | | patients with the most severe and extreme cases of |
| The activities that an arthritis patient performs could | | | | arthritis. During surgery for arthritis treatment, the |
| contribute to the pain, or could help alleviate the | | | | synovial tissue is removed, the affected joints |
| occurrence of pain. Many patients complain that once | | | | repaired or - in the more severe cases - the entire |
| they get out of bed, they experience arthritis pain. | | | | joint replaced with an artificial one. |
| Others complain that they experience the pain only | | | | |