Dr. Umesh Shetty, Director, AXIS Multispeciality Hospital Mumbai and Senior Orthopedic Surgeon
Arthritis is the swelling and tenderness of a joint. The main symptoms of arthritis are pain in the joints and stiffness which becomes worse with age. There are two types of arthritis that are very common –Rheumatoid arthritis and Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis causes the cartilage, which is the hard, slippery kind of tissue that covers the ends of the bones where they form a joint, to break down. Rheumatoid arthritis, on the other hand, is a kind of disease in which the immune system attacks the joints. Infections or some underlying diseases, such as lupus or psoriasis, can cause other types of arthritis. The treatment varies depending on the type of arthritis one is diagnosed with. There is no particular cause behind all types of arthritis. The causes or causes may vary depending on the type or form of arthritis
The most common symptoms of arthritis are swelling stiffness and joint pain. There is a possibility that your range of motion may decrease to some extent and you may experience some redness on the skin around the joint. There are some people with arthritis who may notice their symptoms getting worse in the morning. If the patient is diagnosed with severe Rheumatoid arthritis, it can cause joint deformity if left untreated.
The treatment for arthritis aims to control the severity of the pain, minimize the damage of the joint and maintain or improve the quality of life. A healthy and balanced diet with an adequate amount of exercise, avoiding smoking, and not drinking alcohol excessively can help people with arthritis maintain their overall health. There is no special diet for arthritis but many foods can help in fighting inflammation and improve joint pain and other related symptoms. To start with, a diet that is rich in whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts and beans, fish but low processed foods and saturated fat, is great for overall health.
It is observed that citrus fruits like oranges, limes, and grapefruits are rich in Vitamin C. Research also shows that getting the right amount of that vitamin will help a long way in preventing inflammatory arthritis and maintaining healthy joints. Other research suggests that if you eat Vitamin K-rich veggies like spinach, broccoli, kale, lettuce, and cabbage, it can reduce inflammatory markers in the blood. Some health authorities believe that these veggies contain a potent nutrient mix that helps a great deal in eliminating arthritis pain.