There are more than 100 diagnoses which fall into the category of arthritis. According to the Arthritis Foundation, osteoarthritis is the most common type of the disease. Also known as OA or osteoarthroses, it is characterized by a breakdown in the cartilage of the joints which causes pain, stiffness, loss of movement and swelling. The list of arthritic conditions doesn't end with osteoarthritis, however. Included in the list are the commonly recognized reactive arthritis, juvenile arthritis, traumatic arthritis, fibromyalgia, viral arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Facts About Arthritis
According to the Arthritis Foundation, the number of people who suffer from chronic joint syndromes or arthritis continues to rise, moving from 35 million in 1985 to 46 million in 2006. It is one of the most common health problems and second only to heart disease to cause work disability. It limits activities, affects people of all age and strikes more women than men.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, early diagnosis and treatment are important to managing the disease. If you recognize the characteristics of arthritis in yourself or loved one seek the care of your primary care physician to start early treatment protocols and slow the progression of the disease.
Pain and Swelling
According to Healthline, the hallmark of many of the arthritic conditions is pain, swelling and stiffness in the joint. Some of the arthritic conditions have pain that affects symmetrical joints. In other words, if the first finger on the left hand is affected then the first finger of the right hand will also be affected. Other conditions, such as osteoarthritis, affects different joints in the body. Sometimes the pain and swelling is accompanied by heat and redness, such as infectious arthritis, and other times the joint is painful and swollen but you won't experience any redness or warmth.
Limited Movement
Most arthritic conditions also result in limited movement of a joint. According to Arthritis Today, if you suffer from osteoarthritis, you should include exercise in your daily regimen to increase your ability to move pain free. Exercise is the most effective non-drug available to reduce your pain and improve the limited movement caused by the degeneration of cartilage. Talk with your doctor about the type and intensity of exercises you can do. Include flexibility exercises to improve motion and strengthening exercises to support the joints and slow the progression of the degeneration.
Bony Changes
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, x-rays will often show bony changes in the joints affected by arthritis. There may be changes in the spaces between the bones or in the shape of the bones as the cartilage is no longer present to prevent bone rubbing on bone. When this happens the bones can change shape in response to the added stress. Weight-bearing x-rays are the most valuable when determining the severity of the damage done by arthritis.
Systemic Effects
Some arthritic conditions aren't limited to localized joint changes but can have more systemic effects. This means that the disease causes changes in organ systems such as the lungs, liver, eyes, heart and kidneys. Lupus is one arthritic condition in which the inflammation caused by the immune response can damage joints, skin, kidneys, heart and lungs.
One of the systemic effects that can cause significant damage in a short amount of time is iritis. This is an inflammation of the eye as a result of several of the arthritis conditions including ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, sarcoidosis or Reiter's syndrome. According to the National Center for Emergency Medicine Informatics, this is a real threat to vision which requires emergency treatment and expert follow up. If you suffer from arthritis and develop eye pain, blurred vision or pain with exposure to light, follow up with your physician immediately. If it is after hours, seek care at an emergency room.
