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Arthritis is not a single disease, but a group of conditions that involve deterioration of the body's joints. The group includes rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, septic arthritis, gout, and pseudogout. The most common type of arthritis however is osteoarthritis, involves the destruction of the cartilage in the affected joints, due to which movement becomes extremely painful.
You have not mentioned what type of arthritis you are suffering from, so I assume that it is osteoarthritis.
Some forms of arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis are caused by unknown factors, and are basically autoimmune diseases, in which the body's immune system malfunctions and starts destroying healthy, necessary cells. Osteoarthritis on the other hand occurs due to excessive wear and tear of the joint's cartilage, although in some cases the cartilage may be damaged by injury or infection.
There is no cure for osteoarthritis, but medications and certain lifestyle changes can certainly help ease the pain and live a relatively normal life. Among the most important areas you need to focus on is your diet - some foods seem to help in reducing pain, and in addition, it may be necessary for you to lose weight. Excessive body weight can speed up the deterioration of cartilage, and therefore it will help to slim down. In addition, exercising will help strengthen your muscles and thus take some of the strain off the joints. You should however avoid exercises that jolt or otherwise strain your joints, such as skipping. Instead, take up walking or swimming. You should try applying a warm compress before your work out, and a cold compress shortly after, in order to reduce pain and inflammation. At other times too, a warm or cold compress can be very effective.
Returning to the topic of your diet - you should of course avoid fatty foods, increase your intake of fruits and vegetables, and eat several small meals instead of a few large meals. Omega 3 fatty acids are thought to help in controlling inflammation, and you should therefore eat fish and flaxseed on a regular basis. Antioxidants are known to provide pain relief and may also slow down the deterioration, so you should consume tea, soy, and olive oil regularly. Red wine is also known to contain antioxidants, but this of course should not be overdone. Finally, if the pain is really bad, you should not avoid visiting a doctor, and if you are prescribed medications, be sure to take them regularly.
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