Arthritis is a disease or a group of conditions involving damage to the joints of the body. The symptoms of it include joint pain, inflammation and limited movement of joints. When a joint is inflamed it may be swollen, soft, warm to the touch or red. The pain occurs mainly to the back, neck, hip, knee or feet. The pain from arthritis occurs due to inflammation that occurs around the joint, damage to the joint from disease, daily wear and tear of joint.
Pain patterns may differ depending on the Arthritis and the location. Medications and alternative therapies do a great job for many however they aren’t always enough.
However, there are likely genetic variations that can contribute to the cause of arthritis.
# Age
Bones becomes more brittle with age and has less of a capacity to repair itself. As people grow older they are more likely to develop arthritis. Body requirement of calcium is generally not fulfilled, deficiency leads to the disease.
# Weight
Generally people who are fat and have a heavy body structure damage joints as is partly dependent on the load the joint has to support, excess body weight can lead to arthritis. This is especially true of the hips and knees that can be worn quickly in heavier patients.
# Previous Injury
Joint damage can cause irregularities in the normal smooth joint surface. Previous major injuries can be part of the cause of arthritis. A bone damage or a fracture in past which has not been healed properly leads to this problem.
# Occupational Hazards
Workers in some specific occupations seem to have a higher risk of developing arthritis than other jobs. These are primarily high demand jobs such as assembly line workers and heavy construction.
# High-Level Sports
It is difficult to determine how much sports participation contributes to development of arthritis. Certainly, sports participation can lead to joint injury and subsequent arthritis.
# Illness or Infection
People, who experience a joint infection, or other medical conditions, can develop arthritis of the joint.
