Inflammation, edema, and discomfort in the joints and surrounding tissues are symptoms of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent type of arthritis, with over 100 distinct varieties. Depending on the type of arthritis, there are different signs and symptoms. However, pain, swelling, stiffness, and reduced mobility in the affected joint are common symptoms.
Arthritis affects an estimated 58.5 million Americans. Certain variables can raise your risk of developing arthritis, even though researchers are unsure of the precise etiology of all forms of the disease. To lessen the discomfort and stop the degeneration of the joints, numerous therapy choices are available.
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Types of Arthritis
The broad word “arthritis” refers to a disorder that makes your body’s joints hurt, stiffen, and swell. Where two bones meet to allow for mobility, the area of the body is called a joint. Every kind of arthritis has a different etiology, and there are over 100 different kinds.
Among the most prevalent kinds of arthritis are:
- Osteoarthritis (OA): Arthritis most commonly manifests as osteoarthritis. The cartilage between joints slowly starts to deteriorate in OA. The joints constrict with time, resulting in discomfort, stiffness, and edema. The three Centers for Disease Prevention and Control. OA, or osteoarthritis.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): In RA, the immune system of the body targets healthy cells, resulting in inflammation. RA is an autoimmune and inflammatory disorder. The hand, wrist, and knee joints are typically affected by RA, though it can occur in other parts of the body as well.
- Gout: Inflammatory arthritis known as gout develops when the body accumulates excessive amounts of uric acid. It usually affects one joint at a time, with the big toe being affected most frequently.
- Juvenile arthritis: This type of arthritis, which affects youngsters, is sometimes referred to as childhood arthritis. The illness may result in joint damage that is irreversible.
- Inflammatory spondylitis: Inflammation is brought on by this kind of arthritis along the spine’s ligaments and joints.
- Psoriatic arthritis: The joints and regions where ligaments and tendons attach to the bone are impacted by psoriatic arthritis. It is associated with psoriasis, an inflammatory skin condition that can result in raised, scaly skin areas.
- Reactive arthritis: This illness is caused by an infection in another part of the body. Usually, the symptoms don’t appear until after you’ve healed from the original infection.
Symptoms of Arthritis
Arthritis is commonly characterized by joint stiffness, discomfort, swelling, and limited range of motion. Over time, these symptoms may intensify from their initially modest form. Also, the symptoms of arthritis can come and go. Depending on the type of arthritis, a certain portion of the body may experience its initial symptoms.
The symptoms of osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) manifests as discomfort or soreness in the hands, knees, and hip joints. Additionally, it may result in stiffness and edema. As the situation worsens, one’s range of motion may decrease.
The symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Multiple joint pain, stiffness, soreness, and edema are common symptoms of RA. The hands, wrists, and knees are where RA typically manifests. In addition, fever, exhaustion, weakness, and weight loss are common symptoms of RA.
Symptoms of juvenile arthritis
Juvenile arthritis in children can cause weariness, stiffness, swelling, and pain in the joints. They may also have trouble dressing, walking, and playing, as well as lose their appetite. Juvenile arthritis symptoms might flare up, which means there can be times when the condition gets worse and others when it gets better.
Gout Symptoms
Swelling, redness, and heat in the afflicted joints are signs of gout. Usually, the big toe, ankles, and knees experience it.
The symptoms of gout can continue for days or weeks and typically appear quickly. Weeks, months, or even years may pass after this without any symptoms.
Ankylosing Spondylitis Symptoms
Hip and lower back pain and stiffness are the most typical signs of ankylosing spondylitis. Intermittent intervals of idleness exacerbate the agony. Getting moving and exercising can aid with symptom improvement.
Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis is characterized by swelling, discomfort, and stiffness in the afflicted joints as well as edema in the fingers and toes. Some possible signs include reduced range of motion, changes in the nails, and redness in the eyes.
National Foundation for Psoriasis. Concerning psoriatic arthritis.
Skin psoriasis, characterized by elevated, scaly spots, usually develops prior to psoriatic arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis can, however, occur in the absence of psoriasis symptoms or development.
The degree of joint arthritis is not correlated with the severity of psoriasis symptoms on the skin.
Reactive Arthritis Symptoms
Reactive arthritis is characterized by joint pain, edema, and stiffness in the afflicted joints. It usually affects one side of the body’s joints, most commonly the ankles and knees. Additional symptoms include discomfort in the feet and heels, buttocks, lower back, and fingers and toes.
Reactive arthritis usually manifests one to six weeks after infection and can range in severity from moderate to severe.
Why Do You Get Arthritis?
Not all forms of arthritis have a known cause, according to researchers. Arthritis frequently arises from inflammation of the joints, which are the places where two bones meet. The bone may get damaged or even destroyed as a result of inflammation.
Some forms of arthritis, such psoriatic and rheumatoid, can spread to other parts of the body where inflammation can lead to harm, like the skin, heart, and eyes.
There is an obvious explanation for some forms of arthritis. For instance, reactive arthritis can also be brought on by specific illnesses, while gout is caused by an excess of uric acid in the body.
The elderly population is usually more likely to suffer from arthritis. Nevertheless, it can also manifest in younger adults and occasionally in kids. Women are prone to arthritis more often than males.
Risk Factors
While some risk factors are out of your control, others might be changed, giving you the opportunity to lower your risk. Arthritis risk factors include:
- Smoking
- Having specific genetic makeup
- Getting one or multiple infections
- Injuring a joint
- Being a female
- Being overweight
- Being an older adult
- Performing tasks that require bending and putting repetitive strain on joints
How Do They Diagnose Arthritis?
There are numerous varieties of arthritis, and determining a diagnosis typically entails reviewing your entire medical history. In order to ascertain the start of your symptoms and the medical history of your family, your healthcare practitioner will inquire. Subsequently, a physical examination will be conducted to detect any fluid surrounding your joints, warmth or redness, or difficulty moving your joints.
Following this, your doctor may prescribe the following test:
- Blood test: This test can assist in identifying particular forms of inflammatory arthritis, like RA.
- Fluid tests: This test involves the medical professional taking a tiny sample of fluid out of a joint to see if uric acid is present. Another name for this is joint aspiration.
- Biopsy: The medical professional will collect a sample from the patient during a skin or muscle biopsy in order to check for different types of arthritic disorders.
- X-Ray: To check for indications of inflammation, erosion, or damage to the joints, the medical professional will do an imaging test.
Arthritis Treatments
Arthritis has no known treatment. Reducing discomfort and inflammation, enhancing function, and halting more joint deterioration are the objectives of arthritis treatment. Your healthcare professional will employ specific remedies for each form of arthritis to address your issue.
Typical arthritis treatments include the following:
- Engage in low-impact aerobic exercise regimens such as strength training, walking, and range-of-motion exercises.
- Physical treatment to maintain the capacity to carry out daily tasks, build strength, and enhance mobility and regain use of the injured joint.
- Pain can be lessened by over-the-counter medicines such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen (Tylenol).
- Depending on the kind of arthritis, a doctor may prescribe steroids, biologics, or disease-modifying anti-rheumatic medicines (DMARDs).
- People with moderate to severe pain can benefit from acupuncture to reduce pain and improve function; however, improvements may not be seen for several weeks.
- Apply massage to reduce discomfort. A physical therapist with experience treating patients with arthritis should do this.
How Can Arthritis Flares Be Prevented?
It’s not always possible to stop arthritis from occurring. On the other hand, joint damage can be avoided or lessened with early diagnosis and treatment. There are other steps you can take to stop flare-ups, like not moving too much or too often.
Additional steps to stop or lessen flare-ups of arthritis include:
- Staying physically active: Inactivity over extended periods of time can stiffen joints. Maintaining range of motion and avoiding stiffness can be achieved by being active. For arthritis sufferers, low-impact exercises like swimming or walking are frequently beneficial.
- Minimizing stress: Reducing stress through relaxation practices like meditation may aid in the treatment of pain.
- Applying ice and heat: Heat has the ability to relieve tense muscles and reduce joint discomfort. Pain and inflammation can be lessened with the use of cold.
- Maintaining your optimal weight: Carrying too much weight might put strain on your hip and knee joints. Maintaining a healthy weight helps enhance joint function and reduce discomfort.
Associated Conditions
For a variety of causes, conditions may arise concurrently with or subsequent to arthritis. Additionally, various forms of arthritis can have distinct effects on the body and result in additional difficulties.
People who have arthritis may be more susceptible to the following conditions:
- Osteoporosis. Due to inflammation, people with inflammatory arthritis are more likely to develop osteoporosis, a disorder that weakens and loses bone.
- Lung disease. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the lung disorders that people with RA are more likely to develop.
- Heart disease. Because inflammation can cause blood arteries to narrow, people with inflammatory arthritis are more susceptible to have cardiac problems.
- Diabetes. Individuals who suffer from inflammatory arthritis are also more prone to develop diabetes, which increases their risk of diabetic neuropathy, or nerve damage.
Having Arthritis and Living With It
It’s crucial to discuss your symptoms with your healthcare professional if you have joint discomfort. Early diagnosis and treatment can assist maintain function and mobility while preventing joint injury. Additionally, your doctor could recommend that you see a specialist such an orthopedist or rheumatologist.
A chronic illness that can affect your day-to-day activities is arthritis. As your arthritis worsens, you can have ongoing discomfort and have trouble moving around or carrying out basic tasks. Some forms of arthritis may result in chronic health problems.
Since OA is a degenerative disorder, it progressively worsens. Individuals who are overweight, elderly, or have multiple joint disease experience a faster rate of illness development. The prognosis has improved due to therapeutic advancements, despite the fact that individuals with RA have greater rates of morbidity and mortality.
With medication and lifestyle modifications, arthritis can be effectively managed and flare-ups can be avoided. Reducing stress, getting enough sleep, and exercising frequently can all help lessen pain flare-ups. Your doctor can assist you in locating a drug that alleviates your symptoms while having the fewest possible side effects.