What is Arthritis?
There are more than 100
forms of arthritis currently identified. The common thread among these 100-plus
conditions is that they all affect the musculo skeletal system and specifically
the joints. Arthritis related joint problems include pain, stiffness,
inflammation and damage to joints. This damage often leads to joint pain,
weakness, and instability that can interfere with the most basic daily tasks
such as walking, climbing stairs, or brushing your teeth. But there is good
news: advancing research has found many new ways to combat the pain and
symptoms of arthritis. Many valuable support systems exist to help patients and
their families deal with the pain and other symptoms and effects of this
condition.
Causes and Risk Factors
of Arthritis
The cause of arthritis
depends on the type of arthritis diagnosed. The two most common forms of
arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Although there are many
theories about what causes arthritis, for most forms the exact cause is still
not known. Some forms of arthritis can be caused by injury to the joint
affected, while others seem to be brought on by an infection. Still others seem
to be caused purely by aging.
What Are the Risk
Factors of Arthritis?
Some risk factors for
arthritis are things that you can control, while other risk factors are things
that you cannot change.
Risk factors that you
cannot control include:
Age. The risk of developing
most types of arthritis increases with age.
Gender. Most types of arthritis
are more common in women; 60% of all people with arthritis are women.
Genetics. Specific genes are
associated with a higher risk of certain types of arthritis,such as rheumatoid
arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematous (SLE), and ankylosing spondylitis.
Risk factors that are
within your control include:
Weight. Excess weight can
contribute to both the onset and progression of knee osteoarthritis.
Injury. Damage to a joint can
contribute to the development of osteoarthritis in that joint.
Infection. Many microbial agents
can infect joints and potentially cause the development of various forms of
arthritis.
Occupation. Certain occupations
involving repetitive knee bending and squatting are associated with
osteoarthritis of the knee.
Symptoms Of Arthritis
The symptoms of
arthritis can differ depending on the type of arthritis the patient is suffering from. Symptoms of arthritis include
pain and limited function of joints. Inflammation of the joints from arthritis
is characterized by joint stiffness, swelling, redness, and warmth. Tenderness
of the inflamed joint is also common. Because some of the forms of arthritis
are rheumatic diseases, they can cause symptoms affecting various organs of the
body that do not directly involve the joints. Therefore, symptoms in some
patients with certain forms of arthritis can also include fever, swelling of
the glands, weight loss, fatigue, and even symptoms from abnormalities of
organs such as the lungs, heart,or kidneys.
How is Arthritis
Diagnosed?
There is no one single test
to diagnose arthritis. If your doctor suspects you may be suffering from
arthritis, he or she will perform a series of tests and assessments to diagnose
the condition.
Some tests your doctor
may recommend are:
• Physical
examination to check for tenderness, redness, warmth,
stiffness or fluid
in a joint
• Personal and
family medical history
• Blood tests
• Urine tests
• X-rays and other
imaging tests
• Removal of fluid
from a swollen joint for examination (joint aspiration)
If you have pain,
stiffness, swelling, or difficulty moving a joint or doing everyday activities,
talk with your healthcare professional. These may be signs and symptoms of
arthritis, and there are a number of options available to treat your pain and
other symptoms. We will talk about its treatment in the next post. Thanks for comming over to my post.
