ARTHRITIS: What You Need To Know About It
A joint is an area of the body where two or more bones meet, to perform bodily functions connected by bones. Some joints, like the elbow joint and knee joint, are self-lubricating and are able to withstand compression as well as maintain heavy loads. Cartilage is a firm but connective tissue found in several areas of the body: joints, between the vertebrae in the spine, bronchial tubes, end of the ribs. It protects the joints by absorbing the pressure created during movement. A reduction in the normal amount of cartilage causes arthritis. Arthritis is the swelling of one or more joints, which causes pain and stiffness of the joint and this gets worse as one grows older. Although there is no cure, treatments have greatly improved over the years and there is a great benefit when treatment starts at an early stage. There are different types of arthritis but the three common ones are Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis and Psoriatic arthritis. Osteoarthritis: This is the most common f...