Arthritis | Types Of Arthritis | How Is It Caused | Symptoms | My Own Experience With It

Hello there people! Damn, this is my first blog in 2022 💀 I've been so inconsistent the entire 2021 and 2022, and I apologize 😔 Ya girl just got a lot going on, including, yep, you might have guessed it from the title itself already🌝 ARTHRITIS! So, I am thinking of dedicating this next theme of blogs to chronic diseases :) And what better month to post about arthritis, other than may, the Arthritis Awareness Month itself! Alright...First things first What exactly is Arthritis? Inflammation of one or more joints, causing pain and stiffness that can worsen with age. Different types of arthritis exist, each with different causes including wear and tear, infections and underlying diseases. Arthritis is a VERY painful and chronic condition. Now let's talk about how many types of arthritis are there? There's said to be 6 main types of Arthritis. Let's see what are those. Rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder where the body attacks the synovial fluid in the joints, leading to stiffness, pain, and possibly deformities in the affected joints.

Your body attacking ITSELF? lame af, i know 😔 2. Gout Gout is an often painful type of inflammatory arthritis caused by a buildup of uric acid in a joint. Gout commonly affects the big toe, though other joints in the foot, knee, elbow, wrist, and fingertips can become painful as a result of gout. 3. Psoriatic arthritis Psoriatic Arthritis is a condition where psoriasis of the skin is linked to joint inflammation, commonly in the outmost joints of the extremities. Skin symptoms generally present before joint problems are detected. 4. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, formerly known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, is the most common type of arthritis in children under the age of 16. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis can cause persistent joint pain, swelling and stiffness. 5. Reactive arthritis Reactive arthritis is a type of arthritis that occurs because of an infection. Arthritis is when joints become inflamed and painful. Reactive arthritis is not contagious. It was formerly known as Reiter's syndrome. It affects men more often than women. It develops most often between ages 20 and 50. 6. Spondyloarthritis Spondyloarthritis is a group of diseases characterized by inflammation in the spine (“spondylitis”) and joints (“arthritis”). Types of spondyloarthritis include: Ankylosing spondylitis. Axial spondyloarthritis. Enteropathic spondyloarthritis. Ok so, those were the types of this damned condition, now let's get to this serious question, How does it occur? Arthritis develops when the shock-absorbing cartilage that normally cushions your bone is not able to function normally. This can be due to a wearing down of the cartilage over the years or inflammation in the joint. With its normal cushion impaired, the joint can swell or become hard to move. In other words, Arthritis is caused by inflammation of the joints. And about Osteoarthritis, well it usually comes with age and most often affects the fingers, knees, and hips. Sometimes osteoarthritis follows a joint injury. For example, you might have badly injured your knee when young and develop arthritis in your knee joint years later. What are the symptoms of Arthritis? People with Arthritis may experience: Pain areas: in the joints, ankle, back, fingers, hands, muscles, neck, or wrist Pain types: can be intermittent or sharp Pain circumstances: can occur while sitting Joints: stiffness, tenderness, or swelling Muscular: decreased range of motion, difficulty walking, or muscle weakness Hand: bump on the finger or bony outgrowth in fingers or toes Whole body: fatigue or malaise Also common: flare, physical deformity, redness, or stiff neck My own experience with Arthritis If you read my last blog, the one about 2021 coming to an end, you would know I got diagnosed with Arthritis a couple of days before I wrote it. Here I'll give you a little insight on how life with Arthritis is. I've had terrible pain in my back and some other joints of my body for many months, which no doctor could figure out as to why it was taking place. Got blood tests and X-Rays done, where I got to know I had arthritis. First few days after my diagnosis were HARD. Chilly winter mornings were a literal pain in the joints, to a point where I couldn't hold a spoon properly. Well, thankfully that phase only lasted for like 3 days, and after lots of meds, joints stretches and exercises, and low inflammation food, I gained my grip back! Been almost 5 months, and my condition has improved a lot. In my healing process, there are a few things which really helped me -

💖Sunlight. Get up a few hours earlier than usual, and sunbathe your body for at least 30 minutes. Trust me, it does WONDERS! Sunbathing reduces inflammation, stiffness and reduces risks of flare ups as well :)

💖Stay mobile. I know, how painful Arthritis is, and how it's even worse in the mornings. My suggestion to anyone suffering with arthritis - stay mobile as much as you can. When you wake up in the morning, stretch your entire body. Work up all your bones and joints, and Insha'Allah you won't experience much less pain and stiffness in the day :)

💖Avoid inflammatory food. For me, reducing Carbohydrates and sugar intake really helped me get over the daily pains!

💖Intermittent fasting! It's recommended by doctors and I've tried it myself, staying up hungry for 16 hours a day, and eating healthy within an 8 hour long window can really help your body get rid of toxins! (Even if you don't have Arthritis, Intermittent fasting and reducing Carbs and Sugar intake can be really great for detoxification of your body :)

💖 Don't lose hope! To any of my arthritis peeps, I understand how you may feel hopeless and depressed about having such a chronic illness, and no matter what anybody has to say about it being incurable or blah blah, you can make improvements! Just keep hope within yourself and Follow the points mentioned above, Insha'Allah you'll make 100% recovery💗 Thank you for reading this blog and don't forget to subscribe. It's simple. You just have to click on the "Subscription Form" given at the bottom of the webpage. Enter your Name, E-Mail Address, and Voila! Follow me! Instagram : @Teen.Speak , @_ShaheeraKhan_ Twitter : @_Teenspeak_ , @_ShaheeraKhan_ Check out my YouTube Channel ! See you soon <3