Arthritis

Description

Arthritis can be described as an inflammatory disease of the joints. There are several types of arthritis, but the most common types are: Osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease which occurs due to wear and tear of the cartilage tissue around the joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. This means that the immune system of the body has attacked the lining of the joints, causing inflammation and swelling.

Other types include: Gout, pseudogout, psoriatic arthritis, and lupus.

Causes

The causes of arthritis depend on the type of arthritis. For example:

Osteoarthritis: This type of arthritis may develop due to an injury to the joint, a familial tendency, or being overweight. The presence of any other risk factors can also contribute to its development.

Rheumatoid arthritis: This is an autoimmune disease. It occurs due to an immune system that is overactive, and as a result the body attacks and eventually damages its own healthy tissue. Other autoimmune diseases that affect the joints include: Psoriatic arthritis and lupus.

Gout: Gout is a type of arthritis that occurs when there is too much uric acid in the blood (either too much is being produced, or it is not removed from the body). Eventually, uric acid forms crystals in the joints and this results in inflammation. An excess of calcium pyrophosphate also results in the formation of its crystals, and this is known as pseudogout.

Risk factors

The following factors can be considered as risk factors for arthritis:

Age: Risk of developing arthritis increases with age (especially osteoarthritis which is an age related disease)

Gender: Women are more likely to develop arthritis than men. However, gout is more common in males than females.

Being Overweight: Obesity adds extra load on the weight bearing joints such as the knees or hips. This causes degeneration and subsequent inflammation around the joints.

Joint injuries: Some injuries from an accident can increase the risk for developing osteoarthritis

Symptoms

Generally, the symptoms of arthritis include:

Joint pain
Stiffness (especially early in the morning)
Restricted movement
Joint swelling
Redness around the skin of the joint
Extreme pain in the big toe is a classic sign of gout. However, gout can also occur in other joints.

Diagnosis

Primarily, diagnosis is made on the basis of physical examination. Furthermore, blood tests are performed to detect antibodies and X-Rays, MRIs, ultrasound and CT Scans are done to see the bone and cartilage picture.

Management

Symptomatic treatment is done for arthritis, the main aim is to reduce the pain and prevent joints from further damage. Various medications and lifestyle modifications can help manage and control the symptoms of arthritis.

Treatment of arthritis involve the following:

Patient education,
Physical therapy,
Weight loss,
Medications, which include:
Analgesics
NSAIDs
Counterirritants
DMARDs
Corticosteroids
Surgery for joint replacement.

When to consult a doctor?

A doctor should be consulted if the prescribed medication and exercise regime is not helping relieve your symptoms.

However there are some complications associated with rheumatoid arthritis, and a doctor should be consulted if you experience any of these:

Trouble breathing due to inflammation of the lungs.
Chest pain due to inflammation surrounding the heart.
Pain, redness or sensitivity to light in the eyes.
Anemia, or lowered red blood cell count.
Lumps beneath the skin of the joints involved. These are called rheumatoid nodules.