Obesity and arthritis go hand-in-hand and can cause serious health problems. Before talking about the relation between arthritis and obesity, let’s know what arthritis is. 

Are you overweight and suffer from morning stiffness, pain while climbing stairs, or pain that interferes with pleasure or sleep? Are these pain chronic in nature? If they are debilitating, interfering with your daily tasks, or lowering your quality of life and mobility, it could be obesity and arthritis. 

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more joints, causing stiffness. There are many types of arthritis, but the most common ones are osteoarthritis (wear and tear of the cartilage) and rheumatoid arthritis (inflammation due to an overactive immune system). 

Arthritis is frequently accompanied by joint pain, joint stiffness, swelling, redness, and reduced mobility. There can be many reasons for arthritis, such as obesity and arthritis can be related, or age can be a factor. Let’s discuss a few of the symptoms and factors related to arthritis. 

Is Arthritis Age-Related?

Joint pain and aches often come with age. Generally, people above the age of 60 are afflicted with this problem. Nevertheless, though identifiable, this malaise has been known to invade the younger generation as well. The broad-spectrum range now is between 30-60 years; however, the risk of most types of arthritis increases with age. Early diagnosis helps reduce the symptoms and prevent the condition from worsening. 

Signs And Symptoms Associated With Arthritis

Different types of arthritis have different symptoms. The most common are fatigue, joint pain, joint swelling, joint redness, joint stiffness, joint aching, and soreness that could gradually or persist over time. This could be symptomatic of Osteoarthritis or Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the latter of which attacks the immune system targeted to destroy healthy tissues. RA, unfortunately, has the unwanted capability of symmetry, which implies that if the left wrist is swollen, it should only be a matter of time before the right wrist also swells.

Does Obesity Cause Arthritis?

While there could be several reasons for developing arthritis, the one reason that has been identified as the main culprit is obesity arthritis. Remember the expression, be joined at the hip, when everything goes hand-in-hand, and nothing can alienate the relationship. Well, this then is the unholy alliance between Obesity and Arthritis. The more the weight, the greater the chances of getting this debilitating ailment. Medical science calls this the Empirically Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is a measure of body fat based on the weight in relation to height. 

There are various steps that one can take to reduce the risk of arthritis. 

1. Maintaining a healthy weight as it reduces the pressure on the joints.
2. Avoiding fried and processed food, sugar-based products, dairy and dairy products, alcohol, tobacco, excessive salt, and preservatives help reduce the risk of developing arthritis.
3. Long warm water baths in the morning, followed by healthy foods such as bananas and ginger, are recommended.
4. A general drift towards herbs such as Ajwain, Dashmool, etc., is also helpful for arthritis cure.
5. Natural joint food supplements such as Flexiqule made from Ginger, and Boswellia Serrata extract help reduce joint stiffness and pain and improve mobility

Preserving your joints is important for a good quality of life. If you have arthritis due to obesity, it is advisable to consult a doctor as a proper diagnosis is needed as many types of arthritis and conditions could affect the joints. 

The article is based on the information available in public and which the author believes to be true. The author is not disseminating any information, which the author believes or knows, is confidential or in conflict with the privacy of any person. The views expressed or information supplied through this article is mere opinion and observation of the author. The author does not intend to defame, insult or, cause loss or damage to anyone, in any manner, through this article.