“Arthritis” is an umbrella term that refers to any disorder that causes inflammation of one or more joints. It is extremely common, ranking first among women and third among men as the leading cause of disability in Canada.

Although arthritis can strike anyone – it is not genetic – and hundreds of thousands of Canadian children suffer from it, it is much more common among older people. There are upwards of one hundred conditions that fall under the label or arthritis. The two most common are discussed below.

• Rheumatoid Arthritis – This is possibly the most serious type, as it can cause physical deformity if left untreated for a long period. When rheumatoid arthritis acts up, the synovium, the innermost component of a joint, is attacked by your body’s immune system. This causes inflammation and subsequent pain when the joint is used. The onset of rheumatoid seems to be fairly random, although genetics can make a person more or less susceptible to it.
• Osteoarthritis – This essentially causes the shock-absorbing cartilage surrounding your joints to lose elasticity, becoming more prone to damage via other parts of the joint rubbing against it. After a while, the cartilage will wear away completely and bones in the joint will start to grind against each other when the joint is used, causing severe pain. Unlike rheumatoid, osteoarthritis is caused by simple wear and tear of the body over time.

What Activities Cause Arthritis?

Although many think of arthritis as a malady common only among elderly people, around 60% of arthritis sufferers are people of working age. This is because any job that involves physically demanding or repetitive movements, such as lifting heavy objects or typing at a typewriter or computer, puts stress on your joints and contributes to them becoming inflamed over time. Other common causes of arthritis include:

• Obesity. Like a strenuous job, weighing a lot forces you to put strain on your joints repetitively whenever you walk.
• Certain allergic reactions can bring on temporary cases of arthritis.
• Autoimmune disease. Symptoms can be a side-effect of a more serious autoimmune disorder, or they can occur as a disorder of their own.
• Genetic makeup.

Is There a Cure for Arthritis?

No. Although there is a lot of exciting research going on that may lead to a cure in the future, there is not yet any way to rid oneself of the malady for good.

What is the Best Way to Manage Arthritis?

Largely because arthritis is so common, there are a multitude of well-researched methods to help sufferers manage the condition. Several of the most popular methods to help you make the most out of living with arthritis are detailed below.

Seeking Help From Organizations

Many organizations want to support those with this extremely common but debilitating condition. Some organizations to be aware of are:

• The Arthritis Society – From conducting research into treatments to advocating for those afflicted in the media to organizing seminars to providing general education on its comprehensive website, The Arthritis Society does it all and is a huge resource for those who suffer from or are interested in learning more about the condition. 
• The Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance – An organization with members all across Canada. As a grass-root, patient-driven organization, it serves as a link between the public, arthritis researchers, and government officials. 
• The Arthritis Alliance of Canada – By making charitable donations, the organization has been instrumental is aiding inflammatory disease research and getting it to the level where it is today. It also assists those who contact it with finding a specialist who can help.
• Many more, including the Arthritis Research Center of Canada, the Arthritis Research Foundation, the Arthritis Health Professions Association, and the Canadian Rheumatology Association.

Being Physically Active with a Focus on Movement

One of the main factors that allows arthritis to set in and get more severe is a stiffening of the cartilage inside the joints. Because of this, a lot of free-moving physical activity that keeps the body limber and spry, such as aerobics, strength training, and stretching, can help the condition greatly. It may be hard to do when your joints are already in pain, but engaging in activity on your own or joining a fitness program will do wonders for your joints’ health. The regimen does not have to be specifically aimed at arthritis sufferers to do a world of good.

Weight Watching

As noted above, being heavy is one of the main causes and exacerbations of arthritis pain. It is therefore a good idea to watch your weight to take pressure off your joints and prevent the condition from getting worse. This pairs nicely with becoming more physically active, as it tends to come as a result thereof.

Adjusting Your Diet

Many people underestimate the huge effect diet can have on just about any medical condition. Arthritis is no exception. Some foods are likely to help reduce inflammation if consumed more often, as well as those that will probably just worsen the pain.

Foods arthritis sufferers should seek out include:

Healthy fats, like those found in olive oil or fatty fish (salmon, sardines, herring, etc.).

• Antioxidants are found in foods such as blueberries, blackberries, artichokes, fresh beans, and russet potatoes.
• Foods high in fiber, such as whole grains, corn, and beans.
• Broccoli.
• Onions.
• Ginger.
• Strawberries.
• Matcha.

Foods to stay away from include:

• Purines, are a chemical compound found in dried beans, anchovies, asparagus, liver, and mushrooms.
• Refined carbohydrates, such as those found in white flour baked goods.
• Dairy products.
• Unnatural sugars, such as those found in candies and sodas.
• Foods cooked at high temperatures. Known as advanced glycation end products, the body breaks these foods apart using cytokines, and inflammatory messengers.
• Salt and other preservatives.
• Corn oil. While actual corn is helpful for arthritis, corn oil should be avoided.
• Fried and processed foods.

Medications

There are countless medications available that have been proven to help arthritis sufferers at varying levels – barely afflicted to serious cases. The most prominent categories these medications fall into are summarized below.

• Topical pain relievers – These are only likely to help those with mild cases, but they are quick and easy to apply to the afflicted area.
• Steroids – While they are powerful anti-inflammatory agents and can help with even the most serious cases of arthritic pain, steroids have many side effects and must be used with care.
• Anti-inflammatory painkillers – Less powerful anti-inflammatory medication is available by prescription or even over the counter. Getting a recommendation for a specific brand from your doctor should be easy.
• Hyaluronan – This is injected directly into the afflicted joint and has been shown to reduce pain for up to six months after the injection.
• Chemotherapy drugs – These are most often used to treat cancer, but the slowing in cell reproduction it causes also helps with inflammation.

Seeking all this medical help seems like overkill. Shouldn’t I just do my best to live with my unfortunate development without disturbing anybody?

You are not disturbing anybody. Having and seeking help for arthritis is the most common thing in the world. One in six Canadian adults, most of them being elderly, exhibit symptoms of arthritis. One could consider it unusual for someone to go through old age without experiencing arthritic symptoms. A vast pool of resources is available to help you cope with arthritis; not taking advantage of them is a stubborn oversight.

We understand that all of these lifestyle changes that will aid with arthritic pains are time-consuming and expensive, however. The Canadian federal government recognizes it too, and they offer significant tax rebates – up to $35,000 – to those with the condition to compensate for all the extra costs required to manage it. We at Disability Credit Canada want to help you receive the money you deserve and, in turn, get reimbursed for the assistance you need.

Although all Canadians can file for disability on their own, we have found that our professional application process and many years of experience with the system tend to lead to a much larger Disability Tax Credit. You can rest assured the amount of money you receive will be maximized when you file via Disability Credit Canada.