The joints help people move various parts of their bodies such as the knees, wrists and fingers. A joint is an area in the body where two bones meet. There are three types of joints: the immovable joints found in the skull, slightly movable joints such as those in the spinal cord, and movable joints, which include those in the knees and ankles. Degenerative diseases can affect the joints.
Charcot's Joints
"Combined Scintigraphic and Radiographic Diagnosis of Bone and Joint Diseases" by Yong-Whee Bahk suggests that Charcot's joints involves joints under physical stress. Progressive joint degeneration occurs in Charcot's disease and frequently at a rapid pace. It develops because an individual is unable to feel any joint pain and thus early signs of joint destruction go unnoticed, leading to further degeneration of the affected joint. Diseases that damage the nerves such as diabetes mellitus, spinal cord injuries, poliomyelitis and syphilis can cause this lack of sensation. Charcot's joints, also known as neuropathic arthropathy, typically affects the feet and is manifested as numbness, tingling and loss of sensation in the affected joint. The joint may also become deformed or swollen.
Osteoarthritis
Articular cartilage is found on the surface of bones that make up a joint. It helps the joints move smoothly and reduces the amount of friction between the bones at the joints. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that gradually causes disability in people who suffer from it. In this disease, articular cartilage is destroyed, leading to loss of joint smoothness and limited joint mobility. In the absence of articular cartilage, the bones at a joint rub together during movement. This causes pain and production of thicker bone.
In "Coping With Osteoarthritis: Sound, Compassionate Advice For People Dealing With The Challenges Of Osteoarthritis," author Robert H. Phillips notes that osteoarthritis is classified as primary or secondary. In primary osteoarthritis, the cause of the disease is unknown, while in secondary osteoarthritis, there is an identifiable cause that could be infection, congenital deformities, traumatic injury at the joints and repeated stress on the joints as seen in athletes.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease that typically affects the small joints in the hands and feet. The joints of the knees, shoulders, wrist, knees and elbows can also be affected by rheumatoid arthritis. In rheumatoid arthritis, the joints are inflamed and this results in pain, swelling and degeneration of the joints. This condition occurs when the immune system attacks and damages the joints. Signs of rheumatoid arthritis are joint stiffness in the morning, tenderness, redness and enlargement of affected joints, fatigue, fever and weight loss. Symptoms of this disease are manifested in joints on both sides of the body and may come and go.
References
- Merck Manuals Online Medical Dictionary: Charcot's Joints
- "Coping With Osteoarthritis: Sound, Compassionate Advice For People Dealing With The Challenges Of Osteoarthritis"; Robert H. Phillips; 2001
- Mayo Clinic: Bone and joint problems associated with diabetes
- "Combined Scintigraphic and Radiographic Diagnosis of Bone and Joint Diseases"; Yong-Whee Bahk; 2007
- Mayo Clinic: Rheumatoid Arthritis
