Facts About Arthritis
The two best known types of arthritis are osteo and rheumatoid. Rheumatoid is where the body’s own immune system attacks the joint lining, and osteo is where the lining of the joint is worn away, and you have the bones rubbing together. This is usually the result of an injury to the joint. Regardless of the type of arthritis, the common symptoms for all arthritis disorders include varied levels of pain, swelling, joint stiffness and sometimes a constant ache around the joint. Arthritic disorders like lupus and rheumatoid can also affect other organs in the body with a variety of symptoms.
Other Forms Of Arthritis
As mentioned some of the other forms of arthritis include, Lupus, Ankylosing Spondylitis, fibromyalgia and the gout. If you think that you have any form of arthritis, it is important to treat it as early as possible so that you can avoid the permanent joint damage that is possible. The easiest way to diagnose the problem is with a visit to your doctor, who should give you a routine blood test.
Osteoarthritis Is The Most Common Type Of Arthritis
When the body attacks itself, or what is known as autoimmune diseases, rheumatoid arthritis will be suffered. However, the most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis which is also known as degenerative joint disease. It can be caused by simply aging, but also by trauma to the joint after an infection of the joint. Pain is the most felt symptom of arthritis. Pain which can be severe is usually felt at night, but rheumatoid arthritis is most painful in the morning. A lot people with arthritis just assume that they are beyond help and resign themselves to a life of pain and drug dependency.
In the United States there are over 48 million people with arthritis. This is an incredible figure when you figure that it is almost 1 in every 5 of us and that figure is on the rise. It is a major cause of disability, and is second only to heart disease. In the work place it is a major cause of lost work. It is estimated that the total cost of arthritis cases is close to $100 billion of which nearly 50% accounts from lost earnings. Each year, arthritis results in nearly 1 million hospitalizations and close to 45 million outpatient visits to health care centers In England it is a major problem for the National Health Service, as the number of cases rises, and the cost of the ever increasing dependency on drugs increases almost out of control.
There is no cure for either rheumatoid or osteoarthritis. Treatment options vary depending on the type of arthritis and include physical therapy and lifestyle changes that include exercise and weight control. Joint replacement surgery may be required in eroding forms of arthritis. Medications can help reduce inflammation in the joint which decreases pain. Moreover, by decreasing inflammation, the joint damage may be slowed.
While neither rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis can be completely prevented, one can significantly reduce the risks by becoming more active, participating in physical therapy, losing weight and choosing a healthier diet. All individuals who have pain in the joints should seek early diagnosis because the earlier the treatment is started, the better is the prognosis.
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Tags: arthritis pain, asin, Auto, body, cause, damage, Draft, drug dependancy, joint, joint stiffness, national health service, organs in the body, pain, problem, routine blood test, types of arthritis, work
Osteoarthritis is Most Common Form Of Arthritis
Most people over the age of 60 have some degree of osteoarthritis, but the severity of the condition varies greatly. The cause of osteoarthritis pain is a gradual wearing away or thinning of the cartilage that prevents the bones of a joint from rubbing together and acts as a kind of shock absorber. Injury or its over use can cause damage to the cartilage and may lead to osteoarthritis. As the cartilage wears away, inflammation or swelling can occur.
Causes Of Arthritis
Researchers have reduced the causes of osteoarthritis to several factors that increase a person’s risk of developing the condition. They are obesity, heredity and joint injury. Being overweight or obese increases the stress on the joints in the knees, hips and ankles and so it increases the likelihood of osteoarthritis. Heredity is likely to play a role in many diseases. As a cause of osteoarthritis, genetic abnormalities of the joints often lead to osteoarthritis in later life.
When You Might Expect Arthritis To Hit
osteoarthritis may first appear between ages 30 and 40, and is present in almost everyone by age 70.There are several symptoms associated with osteoarthritis like morning stiffness of stiffness after periods of inactivity achy joints and restrictive range of motion orimpaired mobility. Symptoms are most likely felt in the large weight-bearing joints or in one or more sites like the hip, knee, spine and hand.
Unfortunately, people are not aware that they have this disease because the symptoms are not readily obvious. They develop over a long period of time. Patients will be unaware of them until they notice swollen or painful joints. If you feel any pain in your joints, visit your doctor right away. If you have knee osteoarthritis, your doctor will check your posture, gait, and both sides of your knees. He will also check your hip bones.
As the disease progresses, it will be much more difficult for the patient to move about or deal with the pain. This is where surgery may come in. One example is hip replacement surgery or arthroplasty. Patterns of this disease also suggest that more and more people these days will be suffering from osteoarthritis as they get older. This is why it is important to be aware of natural medication and treatments for osteoarthritis. Since there is still no drug that can completely relieve osteoarthritis pain, treating the disease the natural way is advisable.
Tags: asin, cartilage, cause, condition, heredity, hip bones, hip replacement surgery, Injury, knee osteoarthritis, morning stiffness, Osteoarthritis, painful joints, shock absorber
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease which usually affects middle aged people, and has been found that the percentage of women suffering from this type of arthritis is nearly double than that of men . The synovial membrane, or the covering tissue of the joints gets swollen, resulting in stiffness, pain and limitation of movement. In the more severe conditions, the joints may ultimately become deformed. A disturbed immune function is thought to be responsible for this disease that causes tremendous pain to the person affected by it. It begins with a little pain in one or two joints and it may soon develop into an extremely painful affair involving almost all the joints of the body and associated muscles. It is a slow destructive swelling of the joints.
May Spread To All Of Your Joints
Rheumatoid arthritis affects the finger joints and joints of the feet to start out with. Soon it develops and covers the entire body, and will affect all joints, like the wrists, knees, shoulders, elbows and ankles. It is a very painful experience to have this illness. Sometimes, the pain is eased a bit but there are repeated and progressive attacks which make the person suffering from rheumatoid arthritis suffer tremendously.
What Causes Rheumatoid Arthritis?
The exact cause of the disease is not known. The treatment is to take painkillers to get relief from the pain. It is always advisable to contact the doctor as soon as symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis appear. The doctor gets the affected joints x-rayed so that he can know the extent of damage and severity of the attack. The doctor also usually prescribes anti inflammatory drugs which can give relief from the pain.
Rheumatoid arthritis is not preventable. Apart from the pain it causes, and the possible deformities at the joints, Rheumatoid arthritis has psychological effects on the affected person also. Any deformity on any part of the body is cause for anyone to be going into a state of depression.
Several studies provide evidence that long-term smoking contributes to the immune system’s malfunctioning. This most likely explains why smoking is associated with increased severity of the disease. This is also why smoking and rheumatoid arthritis make a terrible combination. Smoking causes premature atherosclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis does also.
Tags: anti inflammatory drugs, arthritis rheumatoid, asin, body, finger joints, percentage, person, Rheumatoid, rheumatoid arthritis, synovial, synovial membrane
