It may seem that your knees ache so much that it’s not physically possible to “kick the bucket.” However, emerging research shows that more and more deaths are a direct result of arthritis.

A Serious Problem

Arthritis is already known to be the most prevalent chronic disease in the world –affecting over half of all adults over the age of 55. More and more scientists are sounding the alarm over hospitalizations and premature deaths due to arthritis.

A reader asked me recently about some unsettling assertions about milk that had been getting attention in the news.

Her question was in regard to whether or not milk is bad for you. As with a lot of these questions, the answer is frequently yes and no.

The benefits of including milk in your diet include:

Just recently, I happened to stumble upon an advertisement for arthritis medication on television. The spokeswoman’s hands and fingers were clearly affected. They were “knarled” for lack of a better term. Instead of pointing straight out, her poor fingers all curved toward her thumb which appeared extremely painful.

This case is one that any amateur could recognize as severe arthritis.

However, I couldn’t help but recall a time not so long ago when I extended my arm to shake the hand of an associate’s mother. She uneasily pulled her arm toward her body and explained “I really don’t mean to be rude – but my arthritis keeps me from even the most gentle of handshakes.”

Watching the storm systems roll across the United States as well as other countries since the holidays has triggered a concern in me for my readers and clients who suffer from fibromyalgia. This chronic condition, known for its often relentless debilitating pain, does not mix well with frigid temperatures.

I watched the forecasts week to week as the dark blues and purples of sub-zero temperatures pillaged the continental US down to even Florida and Texas. You know it’s way too cold when vultures come to roost en mass on condo patios.

Some of the best natural aids for easing fibromyalgia pain involve heat in a variety of applications, whether it’s with a heating pad, hot stone massage, aqua therapy in a heated pool, or other means.

It’s well understood that your diet plays a crucial role in your arthritis pain. While the same foods that give you a trim waist and clear arteries will likely relieve your pain, a few foods stand head and shoulders above the rest.

Add these 4 pain-fighting super-foods to your diet and you may even feel a difference within a few minutes after your last bite.

I can really relate to readers who have trouble sleeping due to severe pain. I couldn’t count all the sleepless nights I had when my neck was out (after literally being hit by a truck).

Of course, I assumed that my neck pain was keeping me up. This is exactly what many people suffering from Arthritis, neck, back, TMJ or other pain complain about.

You understand how it’s not possible to sleep when your joints are squeaking.

But there is a twist to this. It’s something I didn’t realize until my neck began to get better.

We should focus on what we can control and accept what we cannot.

A fact of life that is applicable to arthritis, as well. Arthritis is painful, a fact no one knows more about than an arthritis patient. Arthritis patients know too well that some days are more painful than others, and on worst days doing simple activities, such as typing on computers, or climbing stairs can seem impossible.

So, what are the causes of arthritis and can we do something to minimize the risk of developing arthritis?

Common causes of arthritis

There are many causes of arthritis. While some are beyond our control, there are others that can be controlled through awareness and taking adequate precautionary measures.

Any arthritis patient will vouch that living with arthritis is painful, to say the least. The inflammation of the joints can lead to pain in the joints. In severe cases, this pain in the joints is a constant companion, and on some day so worse that the patient experiences great difficulty in performing simple daily activities.

People who have arthritis in knees may have problem in walking or climbing stairs, while those suffer from arthritis in hands may experience great pain while performing various functions of a normal life, such as combing their hair or writing.

What is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis and is caused by chronic degeneration of cartilage in the joints. The condition causes pain and stiffness in the joints, and is degenerative in nature. Due to this reason, osteoarthritis is also referred as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease.

The parts of the body that are typically affected osteoarthritis include: lower back, hips, and knees.