Joint pain is a common side effect of old age. Ligaments and tendons begin to be less forgiving and cartilage begins to erode. Our knees, elbows, ankles and wrists can all be tender and sore as we go through our daily lives. However, if you continue to suffer from stiffness and joint pain, there may be more to it than just normal wear and tear.
Gout is a form of arthritis and can strike in the middle of the night with joint pain and soreness. Without notice, you can awake with twinges of pain in your big toe, finger or other areas like ankles and knees. Although the pain may last for several days and go away, the condition can re-surface at any time in the future.Over 2 million people in the U.S. alone deal with gout and most often it afflicts men more than women. Gout usually develops in men over 30 and post menopausal women. Males are more likely to suffer if overweight and diagnosed with high blood pressure.
Pseudogout is similar in nature and is also a form of arthritis but usually targets the knees or wrists even though other areas can be affected. Pseudogout can be caused by irregular development of calcium deposits within the cartilage area between the knee or wrist joints. Once the calcium deposits enter the fluid resulting pain can occur.
Pseudogout targets an older age group, usually people age 60 or older are affected, where gout can occur much earlier in life. During an episode of Pseudogout, your wrist or knee joint may be swollen, red or purple in color and warm to the touch.
In summary, joint pain and stiffness can be attributed to just overdoing a particular activity, but chronic pain can become more serious as you age. A healthy lifestyle and diet could be a major factor in reducing the risk of chronic joint pain. Exercise is also a factor in strengthening your joints and muscles and reducing high blood pressure to combat age related diseases. Low impact exercise can be used in the beginning and as your joints become more flexible, stronger as more physical activities can be pursued.
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