Joints in any part of the body can be affected as arthritis means ‘joint inflammation’. A joint is where two or more bones come together such as the knee, shoulder or wrist.
Arthritis pain treatment and arthritis pain management
A sponge like material known as the cartilage covers all healthy joints. The joint itself is enclosed in synovium, a sturdy sheath that produces synovial fluid that assists the cartilage in limiting friction between the bones.
Movement difficulty, pain in the joints ranging from mild to severe, swelling, stiffness, redness and heat are all symptoms of a joint that is affected by arthritis where the first indication is inflammation.
There are over 100 diseases associated with joint inflammation and they are all grouped together under the general term Arthritis.
The three most common kinds of arthritis include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout.
Arthritis is one of the most common diseases in the United States and affects at least 80 million Americans, half of whom are age 65 and older.
The person afflicted with arthritis suffers for a long period of time because it is a chronic disease.
Arthritis cannot be cured, but the symptoms can be treated through a variety of joint pain products and methods.
Types of Arthritis
Although there are more than 100 different diseases associated with the term arthritis, the three most common are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout.
Osteoarthritis:
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It mostly affects the cartilage, the tissue that covers the ends of the bones within a joint to create a cushion between the bones.
In certain extreme cases, the bones within the joints cannot be prevented from rubbing against each other because all the cartilage has been worn out while in most cases there is wear out or decay of the cartilage because of disease or the passage of time.
This friction often leads to pain and swelling, and in some cases disability. Large weight bearing joints like the hips knees and feet, sometimes the hands, low back (spinal facet joints) and neck are affected by osteoarthritis which may also occur in any joint in the body.
Rheumatoid Arthritis:
Blood vessels, eyes, lungs and the skin can also be affected along with the joints in any part of the body by Rheumatoid Arthritis which is a chronic inflammatory disease.
The swelling in the joint lining is because of the attacks on the body’s joints by the person’s immune system, which is characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis which is classified as an autoimmune disease.
In addition to the usual symptoms associated with arthritis such as pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of function in the joints, a person with rheumatoid arthritis may feel tired and be feverish.
Rheumatoid arthritis generally affects the person in a symmetrical pattern, meaning if the left knee is involved, the right one will be affected too.
Gout:
Gout is one of the most painful rheumatic conditions and often begins with a sudden onset of intense pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints, which may also be warm to the touch and red.
When uric acid, a naturally occurring substance cannot be eliminated by the human body, Gout is the result. Before an attack, uric acid in the form of needle-like crystals, build up in the connective tissue in the joint.
This deposit leads to inflammation of the joint. Joints in the lower part of the body, including knees, heels, ankles and toes are affected by Gout which is often triggered off by stressful events, alcohol, drugs or even the presence of other illnesses.
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