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The areas most affected by arthritis are the back and spine, neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, fingers, hips, knees, ankles and toes. Symptoms include:

• Painful, limited movement in the affected joints
• Increased heat and redness in surrounding tissues
• Dry, cracking sensation or sound coming from the affected joint

Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) or Osteoarthritis

DJD is the degeneration of the cartilage on the ends of the bones. This affects the ability of the bones to move against each other. Cartilage in between the bones allows the bones to slide on each other, providing a stable movement at the joints. When the smooth cartilage between the bones becomes roughened from wear and tear, it causes friction between the bones, leading to pain in the joint.

In osteoarthritis, you will often see bone spurs on x-rays, and occasionally soft cysts (fluid filled cavities in the bones and/or joints. Osteoarthritis usually develops after the age of forty, affecting women three times more than men. Symptoms include:

• Joint stiffness
• Joint pain
• Reduced joint motion
• Redness and swelling in the surrounding

Prevention

Chiropractic also helps treat arthritic symptoms. Chiropractic care will help correct biomechanical faults in any of the joints as well as the damage to the various joints.

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There are some steps you can take now in order to prevent DJD. Diet is incredible important. Avoid foods which are too alkaline. This contributes to inflammatory and degenerative conditions.

Exercise also helps people with arthritis. It reduces joint pain and stiffness and increases flexibility, muscle strength, and endurance. It also helps with weight reduction which will put less pressure on the joints. The three types of exercise that are best for people with arthritis are:

• Range-of-motion exercises.  This type of exercise helps maintain or increase flexibility
• Strengthening exercises that helps keep or increase muscle strength
• Aerobic exercises which improves cardiovascular fitness and helps control weight and improve overall function

Physical trauma such as falls can cause damage to the cartilage in the joint. It can lead to chronic pain and persistent disability. It can also increase the risk of osteoarthritis, and if there is damage to the bone surface, leads to rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.

Arthritis cannot be cured, but it can be treated in various ways. However, always consult your doctor before you start any of the following treatments.

• Heat / Cold therapy – Not recommended for all types of arthritis, so consult your doctor beforehand. Moist heat, such as a shower, or dry heat, such as a heating pad, placed on the affected joint for 15 minutes can relieve pain. An ice pack or some ice wrapped in a towel and placed on the sore area for 15 minutes may help to reduce swelling and stop the pain. However, if you have poor circulation, do not use cold packs.
• Joint protection – Use a splint or a brace to allow joints to rest and keep them from being used. A physician or physical therapist can make the necessary recommendations and may provide you with a brace.
• Massage – Will temporarily relieve joint pain. A massage therapist will lightly knead the muscles around the joint, which will increase blood flow to the stressed area. It is important to realise that arthritic joints are sensitive, so the massage therapist must be familiar with the disease and problems associated with the affected joints.
• Exercise - Low-impact exercises such as swimming and walking reduces joint pain and stiffness while increasing joint mobility. A physical therapist or gym trainer can help plan the best exercise programme for you that will give you the most benefits with the least stress on the joints. Exercise is also good in reducing the extra weight that puts extra stress on weight-bearing joints such as the hips and knees.
• Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) – A small device is placed near the afflicted joint and it directs mild electric pulses to nerve endings in and around the affected joint. TENS blocks the pain messages sent to the brain from the nerves and modifies the body’s perception of pain. Although TENS relieves some joint pain associated with arthritis, it doesn’t get rid of the joint inflammation associated with arthritis.
• Surgery – For some cases, surgery may be necessary. The surgeon may perform an operation to realign the joint, or in extreme cases, replace the damaged joint with an artificial one. Total joint replacement provides not only dramatic pain relief but also significant improvement in joint motion and mobility for many people with arthritis.