Any good discussion of arthritis supplements needs to begin with more knowledge about the disease itself. Arthritis is a severe disease which mostly afflicts older adults causing them unbearable pain and degeneration in joints. Other symptoms include excessive stiffness and swelling around the affected joints. Patients feel a great deal of pain when the joint is used.

You might find it strange, but changes in the weather can bring about changes in arthritis symptoms. For instance, when it starts to rain or if the temperature suddenly changes drastically to very hot or very cold, pain and swelling will become much more severe. Sometimes you will find the area around the affected joint to be very painful and red. In its most severe forms, arthritis can cause damage to both bones and joints.

Older Americans are most likely to suffer from osteoarthritis which is brought on by years of wear on the cartilage which cushions the joints. You may find that arthritis supplements improve the pain in the joints. They may also help joints regain a bit of their mobility.

Gout is one of the most painful types of arthritis out there. A person with gout experiences exceedingly painful joints where high concentrations of uric acid have settled. Severe gout may also manifest itself as a huge swelling in the joint area. Actually, this “swelling” is caused by a solid build-up called tophi in the joint and can only be removed surgically.

Patients with Rheumatoid arthritis are actually living with an internal civil war raging inside them. When the wiring in the immune system gets crossed, it will start seeing various body parts, such as the joints, the eyes, the lungs, and the heart, as its enemies. It then attacks them causing excruciating pain and swelling. Patients who suffer from RA lose the ability to live a normal life because of the pain.

On and beyond the types of arthritis we have discussed, there are many more different strains in the world. Some of these include:
• Jaw arthritis - similar to osteoarthritis, but settles in the jaw joint.
• Ankylosing spondylitis - inflammation of the spinal cord and related joints.
• Psoriatic arthritis - occurs in 5-10% of psoriasis patients. May first appear years after the first psoriasis diagnosis.
• Reactive arthritis - inflammation in the joints, skin, eyes, bladder, genitals, and mucus membranes. It is thought to occur as a “reaction” to some other type of infection.

Many arthritis patients take NSAIDS (Non-Steroid Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) and DMARDS (Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs) which work together as an effective treatment for pain and swelling. In addition, the colloidal elements, gold and silver, have been used on more severe cases of the disease and have caused a great deal of improvement in the quality of life of the patients who are on them.

Even though they aren’t medications there are real benefits to taking arthritis supplements. They have been proven to strengthen the immune system so that it’s able to continue to fight disease. They significantly reduce pain, swelling, and stiffness, and they speed up the healing process. If you find that they aren’t doing the job for you, talk to your doctor about getting on a stronger, prescription medication.