Health Issues
Arthritis
Do you wake up in the morning feeling stiff and sore, achy and creaky? This may be one of the many symptoms of menopause. However, if you are experiencing this, you don’t want to chalk it up to just another menopause symptom. Discuss this with your family physician or nurse practitioner. Your pain and stiffness may be a sign of osteoarthritis, one of the over 100 diseases in the arthritis family. The most common forms of arthritis include osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. It also includes pain conditions such as fibromyalgia.
Osteoarthritis is the “wear and tear” type of arthritis that many of us will get if we live long enough. It usually happens when you begin to lose the protective covering on your bones especially as you age. Joint damage can be made worse by injury to the joint, stress on the joints from work or physical activity and by being overweight.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder which means the body’s own immune system is attacking the tissues of the joints. Pain and inflammation (hot, swollen joints) are common with this type of arthritis. It can affect other organs of the body such as the eyes, lungs, skin and even blood vessels! This form of arthritis can progress over a long time and lead to deformity, so it is important to recognize symptoms early enough to prevent complications.
Fibromyalgia is an arthritis related condition which affects the joints and soft tissues of the body causing varying degrees of pain. As a result of the pain, many people have difficulty sleeping and will experience fatigue and weakness during the day thereby affecting their normal daily activities.
There are many more types of arthritis and medical diseases associated with arthritis as well as detailed explanations which are not all described here. If you are having pain in your joints, check with your doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
Contact the Arthritis Society of Canada to find out more about the various types of arthritis, the symptoms, treatments and tips to living well with arthritis. www.arthritis.ca
By phone: 1.800.321.1433
By email: info@arthritis.ca
Do you wake up in the morning feeling stiff and sore, achy and creaky? This may be one of the many symptoms of menopause. However, if you are experiencing this, you don’t want to chalk it up to just another menopause symptom. Discuss this with your family physician or nurse practitioner. Your pain and stiffness may be a sign of osteoarthritis, one of the over 100 diseases in the arthritis family. The most common forms of arthritis include osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. It also includes pain conditions such as fibromyalgia.
Osteoarthritis is the “wear and tear” type of arthritis that many of us will get if we live long enough. It usually happens when you begin to lose the protective covering on your bones especially as you age. Joint damage can be made worse by injury to the joint, stress on the joints from work or physical activity and by being overweight.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder which means the body’s own immune system is attacking the tissues of the joints. Pain and inflammation (hot, swollen joints) are common with this type of arthritis. It can affect other organs of the body such as the eyes, lungs, skin and even blood vessels! This form of arthritis can progress over a long time and lead to deformity, so it is important to recognize symptoms early enough to prevent complications.
Fibromyalgia is an arthritis related condition which affects the joints and soft tissues of the body causing varying degrees of pain. As a result of the pain, many people have difficulty sleeping and will experience fatigue and weakness during the day thereby affecting their normal daily activities.
There are many more types of arthritis and medical diseases associated with arthritis as well as detailed explanations which are not all described here. If you are having pain in your joints, check with your doctor for diagnosis and treatment.
Contact the Arthritis Society of Canada to find out more about the various types of arthritis, the symptoms, treatments and tips to living well with arthritis. www.arthritis.ca
By phone: 1.800.321.1433
By email: info@arthritis.ca
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