Arthritis is a painful and debilitating joint disease that makes even the simplest activities of daily living difficult to carry out such as walking, using the stairs, getting dressed, preparing a meal or holding a mobile phone. Read on to find out more about this condition, what causes it and what its common symptoms are.
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis is a joint inflammation that causes stiffness, pain and swelling in and around one or more joints. It is an autoimmune disease that usually affects adults aged 65 years or older, but childhood arthritis may also develop in younger people like children and teens. Arthritis can lead to a variety of chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, as inflammation can lead to plaque build-up in the blood vessels and block blood supply to the heart and other internal organs.
There are more than 100 different types of arthritis, but the most common forms are osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and gout. Other related conditions include:
- Juvenile arthritis
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus)
- Fibromyalgia
- Sjogren's syndrome
- Ross River virus
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Reactive arthritis
- Posttraumatic arthritis
What are the Symptoms of Arthritis?
The causes and symptoms of arthritis vary depending on the type of arthritic condition. Painful, stiff and swollen joints are common symptoms and signs of arthritis. Most people with arthritis see a reduction in their range of motion and may also experience the following:
- Joint and muscle pain
- Deformity
- Fatigue
- A general feeling of unwellness
- Flu-like symptoms
- Crepitus – the cracking noise arthritic joints make with movement
- Loss of appetite
- Redness around joints
- Fever
Who Gets Arthritis?
Anyone can develop arthritis at any time, although it commonly affects people who are middle-aged or older. Babies, children and teenagers under 16 with this joint disease have what is called juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
There are several risk factors for arthritis, including genetics, age, weight, gender and joint injuries among others. The risk of arthritis, especially osteoarthritis, usually increases with age. However people who have injured their knee joints in the past are also potential candidates for knee arthritis, a wear-and-tear inflammatory condition that occurs due to loss of cartilage in the knee joint.
Women are believed to be more susceptible to rheumatoid arthritis, while men have increased chances of developing gout. Arthritis is also linked to excessive weight as it puts too much strain on weight-bearing joints such as the hip joints, knees and ankles. Some people with arthritis have the disease encoded in their genes from the time that they were born. Studies show that people suffering from inflammatory bowel disease are also prone to inflammatory arthritis due to genetic components.
What Causes Arthritis?
The cause of arthritis varies according to the nature of the disease. Most of the time, the cause is unknown or a combination of factors that can include:
- Genetic propensity
- Joint laxity (double-jointedness)
- Being overweight
- Repetitive use of particular joints
- Previous bone fracture or surgery
- Having certain metabolic diseases
- Bacteria or viruses
- Physical or emotional stress
- Being female (70% of rheumatoid arthritis sufferers are female)
- Diet
Where Does Arthritis Strike?
Arthritis can affect any part of the body, though the most common areas include:
- Back
- Neck
- Hands and wrists
- Feet and ankles
- Shoulder
- Elbow
- Hip
- Knee
- Big toe (in gout)
- Organs of the body such as the skin, heart, lungs and blood vessels
- Eyes
What Involves the Diagnosis of Arthritis and What are Possible Treatment Options?
If you suspect that you have arthritis, see your doctor for a complete diagnosis. A rheumatologist will be able to identify the type of arthritis that you have by looking at your medical history, conducting a physical examination and ordering some blood tests and imaging tests such as X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The location of your painful joints and your levels of uric acid, a waste product in the body that accumulates in the joints, will also help them determine whether what you have is gout or something else.
The treatment of arthritis will depend on what type of arthritis you have. Although there is no cure for arthritis, there are many ways to manage your symptoms. Medical professionals would normally prescribe conventional treatments like anti-inflammatory medication or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Surgical options, such as joint replacements, are recommended for severe cases. You may check out some natural treatments for arthritis that you can incorporate into your treatment plan to ease the side effects of prolonged use of standard medications such as high blood pressure, stomach ulcers. headaches and liver or kidney problems, to name a few.
Physical therapy, cold therapies and weight loss exercises are some natural remedies that will not only alleviate arthritis pain but also help you achieve a healthy weight to avoid putting so much stress on your joints. Apart from a physiotherapist, a dietitian or nutritionist can also help in the treatment of arthritis by recommending anti-inflammatory foods.
Check out the complete listing of natural health practitioners on the Natural Therapy Pages to find a qualified natural therapist in your area [alt tag: Top natural therapists in Australia] who can help you address your ordeal with arthritis and restore your strength and vitality.
Originally published on Apr 11, 2011
