Arthritis is joint inflammation. It is usually the swellings in the joint or tissues surrounding the joint. It is a very common problem that causes pain and makes it difficult to move or stay active. There are many types and causes of arthritis about we will read about in this particular blog.
Types of Arthritis
Arthritis is a broad term that is used to indicate more than 100 joint problems. It has several types and each type causes different symptoms and demands different treatment as well. Below are listed the common ones-
- Osteoarthritis- The most common type of arthritis, is also called “wear and tear”. In this, the cartilage of your join gets broken due to sudden friction or repeated stress.
- Ankylosing spondylitis – This is the type of arthritis that affects your lower back region or spine.
- Juvenile arthritis (JA)- It is an autoimmune disorder in which one’s own immune system attacks the tissue surrounding the joint. It usually happens in children or young adults.
- Gout– It happens when there is too much uric acid in the blood and it starts affecting the joints.
- Psoriatic arthritis– Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder of skin irritation or dry patches. This type of arthritis happens in people suffering from the same.
- Rheumatoid arthritis– It is another autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the joint capsule, a tough tissue that wraps up the joint parts.
Causes of Arthritis
Different types of Arthritis have different causes, but here are some common causes that can lead to joint complications.
- Hereditary- Arthritis can pass on to generations, so if you have a family history of joint pain, this can potentially cause arthritis.
- Putting repeated stress on your joints can lead to arthritis. Also, lifting heavy in the gym can be another reason.
- Certain autoimmune diseases, infections or underlying diseases can also lead to arthritis.
These were some common causes of arthritis. Now, let’s consider the causes of two most common types of this disease-
- Osteoarthritis- Cartilage is a soft and flexible connective tissue in your joints. It absorbs the shock and hence protects the joints from any type of stress. Osteoarthritis can happen when there is a decrease in the usual amount of cartilage around the joint. Also, a sudden jerk, stretch, or recurrent stress on your joint, can also lead to osteoarthritis.
- Rheumatoid arthritis– An autoimmune disorder when one’s own immune system attacks the tissues surrounding the joint. In this, a soft tissue called synovium that is responsible for nourishment and lubrication of joints is affected and hence, it adversely affects the bone and cartilage inside the joint.
Symptoms of Arthritis
Joint paint, swelling and difficulty in movement are the most common symptoms of arthritis. It feels the worse when you get up after a long period of sitting or sleeping.
Other symptoms of osteoarthritis include:
- Restricted motion that sometimes goes away after movement.
- A popping sound with bending.
- Muscle weakness around the joint
- Instability of the joint
- Bony growths in the fingers
Other symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include:
- Stiffness in the morning
- More than one affected joint
- Affects smaller joints like of feet and hands
- Fatigue
- Low-degree fever
- Inflammation of the eyes and mouth
- Inflammation of the heart muscle and blood vessels
- Low RBC count
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