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Facts You Should Know About "Arthritis".



Arthritis is a broad term that covers a group of over 100 diseases. It has everything to do with your joints the places where your bones connect such as your wrists, knees, hips, or fingers. But some type of arthritis can also affect other connective tissues and organs, including your skin.

Arthritis is the swelling/inflammation and tenderness of one or more of your joints.

About 1 out of 5 adults have some form of the condition. It can happen to anyone, but it becomes more common as you age.

Causes

With many forms of arthritis, the cause is unknown. But some things can raise your chances of getting it.

  • Age. As you get older, your joints tend to get worn down.
  • Gender. Most types of arthritis are more common among women, except for gout.
  • Excess weight. Carrying extra pounds makes arthritis in the knee start sooner and get worse faster.
  • Injuries. They can cause joint damage that can bring on some types of the condition.
  • Infection. Bacteria, viruses, or fungi can infect joints and trigger inflammation.
  • Work. If you go hard on your  knees at work,knee bends and squats, you might be more likely to get oesteoarthritis.

Symptoms

Arthritis mainly causes pain around your joints. You might also have:

  • One or more joints that are swollen or stiff
  • Joints that look red or feel warm to the touch
  • Tenderness
  • Trouble moving
  • Problems doing everyday tasks

The symptoms can be constant, or they may come and go. They can range from mild to severe.

More-severe cases may lead to permanent joint damage.

Oesteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the most common kinds.

In oesteoarthritis,the cushions on the ends of your bones, called cartilage, wear away. That makes the bones rub against each other. You might feel pain in your fingers, knees, or hips.

It usually happens as you age. But if underlying causes are to blame, it can begin much sooner. For example, an athletic injury. like a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or a fracture near a joint can lead to arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease where the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues. This can damage the joint surface and underlying bone.

Rheumatoid arthritis mostly targets your fingers, thumbs, wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, feet, and ankles.

It can give you pain, swelling, stiffness, and trouble with moving. You may also have:

  • Fatigue
  • Fever
  • Weight loss
  • Eye inflammation
  • Bumps under the skin called nodules
  • Lung inflammation

Gout is another form of arthritis that can be very painful. Uric acid buildup in the body causes needle-like crystal deposits to form in your joints. You might notice lumps under your skin called tophi.

A lot of people see the first symptoms of gout in their big toe, which can get swollen, sore, red, and warm.

Other areas that gout can attack include:

  • Foot instep
  • Ankles
  • Heels
  • Knees
  • Wrists
  • Fingers
  • Elbows

Bouts of gout can come and go. The pain might become constant if you don't get the condition treated.

You can treat it with medication, but you’ll also need to control your weight, limit alcohol, and cut down on meats and fish that have chemicals called purines.

Other forms include:

  • Ankylosing spondylitis affects the spine.
  • Lupus is a long lasting,auto immune disease that can damage almost any part of the body, including joints and skin.
  • Psoriatic arthritis is related to the skin condition, psoriasis. It’s often mild, but can sometimes be serious.

When to See a Doctor

You might have occasional muscle or joint pain. That’s OK. But get help from your doctor if:

  • The pain, swelling, or redness isn’t going away.
  • Your symptoms get worse quickly.
  • You have relatives with autoimmune disorders.
  • You’ve got relatives with other arthritis-related diseases.

Don’t ignore joint pain. In some cases, it can cause damage that can’t be reversed, even with treatment. When in doubt, talk to your doctor.

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