What is Arthritis?
Arthritis is a group of conditions involving damage to the joints of the body. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in people older than fifty-five years. Inflammation is involved in many forms of arthritis. It is the body's natural response to injury. The warning signs that inflammation presents are redness, swelling, heat and pain. These are the same kinds of reaction the body has to a sliver in the hand, for example. When a joint becomes inflamed, it may get any or all of these symptoms. This can prevent the normal use of the joint and therefore it can cause the loss of function of that joint.
Types of Arthritis
Osteoarthritis - This is the most common type of arthritis. It occurs when the cartilage covering the end of the bones gradually wears away. Without the protection of the cartilage, the bones begin to rub against each other and the resulting friction leads to pain and swelling. Osteoarthritis can occur in any joint, but most often affects the hands and weight-bearing joints such as the knee, hip and facet joints (in the spine). Osteoarthritis often occurs as the cartilage breaks down, or degenerates, with age. For this reason, osteoarthritis is sometimes called degenerative joint disease.
Rheumatoid arthritis - In some types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, the synovium becomes inflamed. This inflammation causes chemicals to be released that thicken the synovium and damage the cartilage and bone of the affected joint. This leads to inflammation of the synovium causing pain and swelling. While the cause remains elusive, doctors suspect that genetic factors are important. Rheumatoid arthritis can be difficult to diagnose early because it can begin gradually with subtle symptoms.
Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis - Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, or JRA, is another auto-immune condition, but it tends to affect children and adolescents. There is a broad spectrum of JRA, with some patients having just one joint involved, and others having many problems. The most commonly involved joint in JRA is the knee.
Polymyalgia rheumatica - Polymyalgia rheumatica occurs in people after the age of 50 and presents with severe stiffness and aching in the neck, shoulders, and hips. Because it is very treatable, accurate diagnosis is needed. Because so many other conditions look like it, an accurate diagnosis is not always easy.
Lupus Arthritis - Lupus arthritis is the most common manifestation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, or SLE. SLE, like rheumatoid arthritis, is an auto-immune condition where the body's immune system causes damage to the joints. The most commonly affected joints in SLE are the hands, wrists, and knees.
Reactive arthritis - This is a temporary inflammation of the joints as a reaction to an infection elsewhere in the body - for example, in the bowel. There may be a delay before the beginning of the arthritis, which usually clears up by itself.
Fibromyalgia - Fibromyalgia (previously known as fibrositis) is a condition in which discomfort is widespread and felt within the muscles and ligaments, which may be tender. Damage to joints or other tissues is not a feature. A common association with sleep dysfunction and irritable bowel symptoms suggests an underlying neural irritability. Fatigue, feelings of demoralisation and seemingly insoluble life stresses may be part of the picture.
Fibromyalgia is to be distinguished from 'soft tissue rheumatism' which refers to irritation or inflammation of structures such as ligaments and the synovial sacs (bursae) that lubricate tendon movement.
Gout - Gout is one of the most common types of arthritis and has symptoms such as inflammation of the joint, swelling, warmth, redness and pain. Due to advances in medical research, gout can be well controlled and if the correct treatment program is followed, gout need not be a major problem. Gout is a disease in which there is a build-up of urate (uric acid) in the body. The excess uric acid forms needle-like crystals in the joints that cause swelling and severe pain. Gout most often affects the big toe, knee and wrist joints.
