ARTHRITIS ITS CAUSES

How Arthritis develops--The mechanical construction of our body makes it possible for many bones to meet with each other & these meeting places are called joints. These joints help in different type of movements. to avoid friction & strain during these movements, the ends of the bones are covered with an elastic tissue called cartilage. a synovial membrane covers the inner surfaces of these joint-cavities.This membrane secretes a fluid that lubricates the joint. This synovial membrane & the tips of the bones are ramified with several capillaries which carry nourishment along with blood to the joints. If any infection or wrong metabolic byproduct passes through these capillaries, then the circulation of the nutrients & blood is obstructed resulting in stagnation & exudation of fluid in to the pocket crated by the synovial membrane in the joint. his causes the joints to become inflamed, enlarged & swollen. The cartilages, because of impaired nourishment, lose their elasticity & become dry & brittle. The secretion of the synovial membrane may also diminish & with the progress of the disease, may cease completely. The joint will thus dry out, become congested, rough & stiff. This may also cause the surrounding ligaments & tendons to become inflamed & to progressively lose their tone & flexibility. Be cause of the impaired metabolism & movement, excessive amounts of calcium & other minerals are deposited in the joint s. Sometimes osteoporosis or leaching of the calcium & other minerals from the bones can cause severe destruction of bones & joints. All these changes are usually accompanied with swelling & pain during movement. Subsequently, the pain becomes absolutely incapable of moving the affected part of body. If this development is not checked & effectively treated in time, complete destruction of the joint & impairment of its function will often be the ultimate result. Along with these signs & symptoms in the joint, the patient also suffers from other disabilities i different parts of the body. Digestive disorders, often very chronic, are present in patients of Arthritis. Constipation is often prevalent for many years before the actual Arthritis symptom begin to reveal themselves. General fatigue, physical & emotional stress, lack of sufficient rest, nutritional deficiencies, glandular disorders--all these could occur long before the final symptoms appear in the joints.

It is important therefore to note that if Arthritis is to be successfully treated, the physician should follow a holistic approach by recognising the systemic nature of the disease, & the abnormal conditions as well as disorders in the other parts of the body that need to be corrected. The present day approach to the treatment of Arthritis patients, namely, to suppress the pain to give relief to the inflammation or swelling, does only give  false sense of relief to the patients; it is dangerous because the disease continue to progress inside the body & at one stage or the other, both the patient & the physician becomes helpless--the former cannot work with his joints & the latter cannot reduce the pain & swelling not to speak of arresting the progress of the disease. Any attempt, therefore, to treat the patient of Arthritis without realising e close relationship between the general health of the individual & his Arthritis symptoms will ultimately prove to be futile. Joints in any part of the body may be affected. Depending upon the nature of the affliction, the disease is called by different names.