Dealing With Arthritis: What You Should Know

Arthritis is an inflammation found in the joints, and it can result in debilitating pain in the joint. However, arthritis has a wide range and there are over 100 arthritis types and related conditions.

Arthritis is a common disease that affects over 50 million adults and children in the United States. The types of arthritis will be determined by the cause, affected area, and the treatment option available. To get the best possible option for treatment and management, it’s first of all important to figure out the type of arthritis you have.  Here, we discuss the different types of arthritis you may come across.

• Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, is also referred to as degenerative arthritis. What happens with osteoarthritis is that the cartilage found in the joint will break down and cause the bones to rub together and cause friction in the form of inflammation. When this happens, the patient will experience pain, bone spur formation, and injury.

Osteoarthritis may occur in either or both joints of any side of the body. It can be triggered by obesity, age, family history, injuries, and joint overuse. Some common symptoms include stiffness, joint soreness, increased disability, and lack of coordination.

• Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is another type of arthritis, but this time, it attacks healthy joint tissues and this is caused by autoimmune disease. The most common symptoms include joint pain, stiffness, and eventual joint deformities. Other symptoms include complications with sleep, rheumatoid nodules in the elbow and under the skin, and numbness in the feet and hands.

• Ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis is an autoimmune condition that attacks the ligament and tendon attachment of the bone and can bring on symptoms like stiffness and pain in the lower area of the back. It can also extend to the spine and pelvis, and possibly other joints in the body. Also referred to as spondyloarthropathies, it can attack the peripheral joints in the feet or hands, and cause deformation of the spine or dysfunction in the hips and shoulders. This type of arthritis is hereditary and is common in men with the HLA-B27 gene.

• Lupus arthritis

This autoimmune disease affects the different connective tissues and joints in the body. It also has a chance of damaging organs like the lungs, heart, skin, kidneys, or brain. It’s more common in women and can show different symptoms, ranging from swelling and pain of the joint, to fatigue, chest pain, or fever.

• Gouty arthritis

This is a form of arthritis that occurs as a result of the accumulation of urate crystals inside the joints. When there’s a high level of uric acid in the blood, there may be a risk of developing gout. It’s typically a painful disease, as the most likely place to get affected is the big toe. General symptoms include swelling, redness, and pain in the toes, ankles, feet, or knees.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of arthritis, one way or the other, it’s important to talk to a professional to be able to decipher if it’s arthritis or not. If it is, many treatment plans are available for you, depending on what type of arthritis it is. One of them is stem cell therapy.