Although the age of onset & severity of the condition can vary from one person to another, there’re common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis.
Also, the symptoms will vary from one person to another because virtually everyone is different, & your genes & lifestyle choices will also play a role in how your condition progresses.
That’s why it is important to manage your condition by making proper lifestyle choices as early as possible, such as following a treatment protocol & eating a proper anti-inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis diet.
According to the John Hopkins Arthritis Center:
“The major goals of treatment of the arthritis are to reduce pain & discomfort, stop deformities & loss of joint function, & maintain a productive & active life. Inflammation must be suppressed….”
The main point in the above statement, at least to us, is that doing your best to counter inflammation is the key to managing the condition.
Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects joints equally on both sides: for example, it is rare to experience it in the fingers of one hand while not the other. The same goes for feet, knees, ankles, & so on.
Having said all of this, the common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis are:
- morning stiffness
- fatigue & weakness
- muscle aches
- loss of appetite
- limited range of motion
- deformities of feet & hands
- swollen glands
- joint pains
There are more symptoms than this, of course, but these are common ones. Joint pains themselves do not usually manifest until later in the condition in which there is pronounced inflammation & destruction of cartilage.
As far as treatment methods, there’re over the counter ones such as aspirin & ibuprofen; prescription ones such as COX-2 inhibitors like Vioxx; or cortisteroids.
All of these can have major negative side effects.
We personally go the natural route & fight inflammation with omega 3 fatty acid supplementation. Yes, the same omega 3 fatty acids that are essential nutrients & needed by the body for best heart & brain health.
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center’s website:
“Most clinical studies investigating the use of omega-3 fatty acid supplements for inflammatory joint conditions have focused almost entirely on rheumatoid arthritis. So… Several articles reviewing the research in this area conclude that omega-3 fatty acid supplements reduce tenderness in joints, decrease morning stiffness, & allow for a reduction in the amount of medication needed for people with rheumatoid arthritis.”
The best source of omega 3 fatty acids is purified fish oil found in high quality fish oil supplements.
In New Zealand, there is a famous remedy called the green lipped mussel which is very high in omega 3 fatty acids & in that country is often taken by people who suffer from the common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis.
At the University of Maryland Medical website they also acknowledge the green lipped mussel, stating:
“….New Zealand green lipped mussel ( Perna canaliculus ), another potential source of omega-3 fatty acids, has been shown to reduce joint stiffness & pain…”
As a last note: you should be fully aware that omega 3 oils can thin the blood; therefore, talk to your doctor if you’re already on other blood thinners before using them as part of a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet to counter the common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis.
Dan Ho is editor of http://www.omega-3-fish-oil-guide.com/Fish_oil_arthritis.html . Visit us now to get tips & advice on how to select a quality omega 3 supplement from purified fish oil & New Zealand green lipped mussel.
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