All of those aches and pains: Rheumatoid Arthritis

Do you suffer from pain in your joints? You may be dealing with a condition called rheumatoid arthritis. This disease starts in the smaller joints of both your hands and feet and will progress to include other larger joints throughout your body. Rheumatoid arthritis is a symmetrical condition though, which means that if it affects one hand, then it will also affect the other hand. This condition has a greater prevalence in females; however, it does also affect men. It often starts anywhere from the early 20s through the 60s. People will experience pain, swelling and stiffness in these joints and will notice that they are very stiff especially in the morning.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a condition that can lead to deformities and lack of motion in the joints as a result of joint inflammation and breakdown. Unfortunately it is not a condition that has a cure and so it involves a life-long relationship with your primary care provider helping to alleviate symptoms as they occur. This may involve resting the joints so that they are not over worked, however, you do not want to completely stop moving because that will only cause your joints to freeze up. Instead, you want to start doing low impact exercises such as swimming and biking that do not put an excessive amount of weight onto your joints. You can also use pain killers to help relieve the pain and orthoses can be used to help correct the foot placement and prevent joint breakdown.

Many people at some point will have to undergo surgery to either replace their joints or fuse them to minimize pain and discomfort.  These surgeries are not right for every patient and you must be evaluated to see which option will be the best for you. Rheumatoid Arthritis is a very individual disease that affects everyone in different ways and at different rates. It is important to remember that this is a lifelong condition, but it is one that has been making great progress in the medical research field. There are new forms of surgery, bracing and medication that are being developed to yield you the best results possible.

One of the most important things that you can do is form a good relationship with your podiatrist. That way, each time you develop a new symptom or condition, it can be dealt with promptly yielding you the best treatment and results. If you live in the North Andover, Boston, Methuen,Wilmington or Newburyport, Massachusetts area, our office staff would be more than happy to assist you with all of your podiatric healthcare needs.