Simple, everyday activities and movements can become daunting and overwhelming when you have arthritis. Whether you have begun to experience symptoms suddenly or have been happening over a longer period of time, the important thing to know is that it doesn’t have to continue. Starting treatment early on can help to prevent the progression. So how do you know when you are beginning to feel the effects of arthritis?
Here are some symptoms to look for:
- Pain or stiffness
- Loss of range of motion
- Redness or swelling
- Burning sensation in the joints
- Decreased appetite
- Fatigue
Types of Arthritis
Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the two most common types of arthritis people experience and have vastly different effects on the body.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks tissue and joints, leading to increased inflammation and will wear the bones and cartilage down. This type of attack on the body can also weaken tendons and ligaments that keep the bones in place, leading to misshapen joints and misalignment.
Osteoarthritis is less aggressive than rheumatoid arthritis but can still cause a lot of pain. Osteoarthritis is the wearing down of joint cartilage over time. Typically the spine, hips, knees, and sometimes hands are affected. While most people who experience osteoarthritis are 60 years or older, those younger can see signs, especially athletes and those with physical careers that require repetitive motion.
Treatments for Arthritis
While there is no cure for arthritis, there are ways to help combat its progression and ease the pain. Regenerative medicine offers patients a natural way to get to the pain source, not just mask it.
The most common and often most successful regenerative treatment utilizes tissues found in Wharton’s Jelly. This substance is found in umbilical cords donated by mothers undergoing cesarean births and have been pre-screened prior. Neither mother nor baby is harmed during this process. The tissue used in this procedure is extremely rich in healing elements such as cytokines, peptides, exomes, and growth factors.
PRP is another common form of regenerative medicine that has had great results in relieving pain for those dealing with arthritis. PRP, or Platelet-rich Plasma, therapy is a process that uses the patient’s own blood to help heal injured areas. A small blood sample is drawn and then separated to obtain the plasma by using a centrifuge. Once the plasma is collected, it is re-injected into the injured areas. This gives the body a boost to its healing abilities that often diminish as we age.
When you are living with the painful effects of arthritis, all you really want is an effective and long-lasting solution to rid yourself of the pain without the need for medications or risky surgical procedures. Regenerative treatments offer an alternative solution that doesn’t require downtime and has been shown to have tremendous healing capabilities for those dealing with arthritis.