What is Arthritis?
Arthritis means joint inflammation and is the swelling & tenderness of one or more joints. The most common types of arthritis are ‘osteoarthritis’ (usually associated with aging) and ‘rheumatoid’ arthritis – often affecting younger people.
As different types of arthritis exist, each with different causes including wear and tear, infections and underlying diseases, it’s important to be correctly diagnosed.
Signs and Symptoms
The main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness, which typically worsen with age.
Symptoms vary from mild to severe and may come and go. Severe arthritis can result in chronic pain, difficulty performing daily activities and make walking painful and gruelling.
Depending on the type of arthritis, signs and symptoms may include:
- Pain
- Stiffness
- Swelling
- Redness
- Decreased range of motion
What causes Arthritis?
Osteoarthritis is caused by the wear and tear of the joint over time or because of overuse. The cause of some forms is unknown, but arthritis can also be a result of disease, infections, genetic defect, injury or overuse. Rheumatoid Arthritis though is an auto-immune disease.
Treatment
Treatments vary depending on the type of arthritis. The main goals of arthritis treatments are to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. There are treatments available that can help control your symptoms and prevent damage to your joints.
For more Arthritis information and resources to help you make treatment decisions, visit:
- Arthritis NZ - www.arthritis.org.nz
- www.facebook.com/arthritisnewzealand
How can ILS help?
Our friendly Information and advisory team can make suggestions about home improvements on 0800 625 100. These are some of our favourite products
- Arthritis Gloves
- Aircycles
- Kitchen Cutlery
- Easy-grip loop scissors
- Fix Preparation Board
- Rails
- Orthopaedic pillow cushion support
Useful services we offer: