Wednesday, July 30, 2008

what is arthritis

Understanding What Arthritis is and How to Combat It

One of the most common diseases in people over 50 is arthritis. Arthritis is actually a general term to encompass a wide variety of diseases, just like cancer can mean lung cancer, leukemia, or Hodgkin's disease among many other. Like cancer, arthritis has many different specific types that affect people of every age and gender, and most doctors would agree to read up on this subject a bit because of its prevalence. So, what exactly is arthritis, how many people does it affect, and what can you do to help yourself?

What is arthritis?

Most simply put, arthritis is a disease that results in irritation, inflammation, and ultimately pain in joints. Over 35 million Americans have arthritis, and it has many different causes. Osteoarthritis is caused by aging or a wound to the bone, such as a fracture. Septic arthritis is caused by a bacterial infection or virus. Gout forms when acidic crystals build up in joints and causes friction. Yet to fully understand what arthritis is, you also need to see the results. Without treatment, arthritis always gets worse. Joints, especially the cartilage in joints, gets worn down as inflammation of those joints increases. Inflammation of the joints can be very painful, but there are several general treatments available to reduce the effects.

Once you know what arthritis is, it's time to learn how to combat it. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States, but there are many steps you can take to treat arthritis. If you suspect that you have arthritis, see a doctor immediately. The faster you get a diagnosis, the more effective the treatments will be, like most other illnesses. A diagnosis can come from a physical examination, blood sample, or X-ray. Sometimes other tissue and bone samples can be taken to get a more definite picture of the arthritis. Often, a doctor will refer an arthritis patient to an orthopedic surgeon and physical therapist to develop a plan to combat the arthritis, and treatment can begin within a few days.

Vitamin supplements and exercise vastly reduce the risk of arthritis. Something as simple as walking can go a long way to make sure your bones are healthy. Sometimes fluids will be extracted from the inflamed joints to reduce pressure and ease movement. Other treatments include regular exercise to build muscle strength and adapt your joints to movement so that it is less painful to move, along with medications to help with the swelling and pain. Now that you know what arthritis is, it's time to go and take the preventative measures so that you don't develop arthritis.

what causes arthritis

Exactly What Causes Arthritis Remains Open For Debate

When many people ask what causes arthritis, they often receive the short answer of aging, but that may not be the most accurate answer available. While aging is probably the most prevalent cause, it can be induce by an injury or an ailment in the joint tissue. There are also some risk factors associated with what causes arthritis, such as a person being overweight, which causes additional pressure on the cartilage in the joints, causing them to break down faster.

Consider arthritis like the oil in a car's engine that protects the metal parts of the internal combustion engine from making contact and wearing out. If the oil breaks down or there is not enough oil to keep the parts separated, they rub together and slowly wear out the metal pieces. When there is enough metal rubbing together, the engine will freeze up and remove to function. This similar scenario is what causes arthritis when the cartilage in the joints wears out.

Cartilage is a protein-based material filled with water and over the years the water may dissipate from the cartilage, leaving it dry and subject to abuse by repeated joint movement. As the cartilage becomes dry it can flake apart or form fissure in the material, which is what causes arthritis. As more cartilage disappears, the more the bones rub together causing pain and when all the cartilage is nearly removed, the bones can rubbing together can put an end to mobility.

Other Forms Of Arthritis Have Other Causes

Overall, osteoarthritis is generally caused by aging, but in some cases, what causes arthritis may be an injury to a joint or to the bones in the joint. Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by continued inflammation of the cartilage in the joints and is believed to an autoimmune disorder. This is caused by the body's defense system mistakenly attacking the tissues and destroying it, believing it to be an outside intruder. Although affecting nearly five million Americans, it is not the most common form of arthritis.

Crystal deposits are shown as another example of what causes arthritis as they can form without knowledge over an extended period of time, damaging the cartilage and causing it to slowly disintegrate. Another possibility of what causes arthritis can be joints that are deformed at birth. This can lead to faster bone wear, which also causes the cartilage to become damaged as the uneven bones in the joints disrupt the natural movements the cartilage is designed to protect.

types of arthritis

Many Types Of Arthritis May Be Overlooked

When most people think of arthritis, they look at the crippling ailment that attacks later in life, robbing a person of their mobility and causing great pain. While the most common form, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis get the brunt of the blame for this crippling, there are over 100 types of arthritis that have been identified. By its basic definition, arthritis means joint inflammation and many diseases that cause an inflammation in joint cartilage or joint tissues is considered one of the types of arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is the most common of the types of arthritis, affecting nearly 20 million people. It is a degenerative disorder with which the cartilage cushioning the joints slowly disintegrates, allowing the bones to rub together causing pain and reducing mobility. Rheumatoid arthritis, the second most seen of the many types of arthritis is caused by inflammation of the cartilage and can be equally as painful and immobilizing.

One of the types of arthritis involves the formation of crystals in the cartilage, which causes pain and deterioration of the cartilage. Monosodium urate crystal deposits form one of the types of arthritis called gout, which affects the mobility of the affected joint as well as causes pain. A variant of the crystal formation may lead to the diagnosis of pseudogout.

Many Problems Respond To Medical Treatment

Unlike osteoarthritis, some types of arthritis have been responsive to medical intervention, such as polymyalgia rheumatica which causes stiffness and aching in the affected joints. Since it closely resembles other forms of arthritis, it is difficult to diagnose, however it is treatable with medicine. Ankylosing spondylitis is caused by an infection in the spine and sacroiliac joints and causes pain and stiffness in the lower back.

Psoriatic arthritis is one of the types of arthritis caused by serious inflammation, which can be treated it diagnosed quickly. The inflammation can spread from tissues surrounding the joints and into the cartilage, where the damage can be permanent if not treated responsibly. Another of the types of arthritis caused by inflammation of the joints is lyme disease. Most commonly caused by bacteria carried by the deer tick, this form of arthritis can be treated, but the infection must be responded to quickly.

There are many other types of arthritis that may not seem a logical pairing to what many view as loss of mobility and joint stiffness. However, many different causes of infection and inflammation of joint tissue results in joint inflammation, meeting the basic definition of arthritis.

spinal arthritis

Spinal Arthritis Can Affect Different Areas Of The Back

Arthritis can be a debilitating disease as the loss of cartilage in the bone joints can be extremely painful as well as limit movement of the joints. In patients with spinal arthritis, the affects can be even more devastating as there are precious few positions in which the patient can find comfort. While the blame for most incidents of spinal arthritis is aging, there is no standard area of the spine, which the disease strikes.

Essentially, spinal arthritis is the same as osteoarthritis in any other joints in the body. The loss of water in the cartilage that cushions the disks in the spine allows the disks to rub together, creating pain and limiting movement. The portion of the spine affected will be different among different patients and spinal arthritis can occur in the cervical spine, the neck area, the lumbar spine, in the lower back or somewhere in between, known as the thoracic are of the spine.

Regardless of where spinal arthritis first develops, it can cause many problems for the patient. In some cases of osteoarthritis, bone spurs form on the affected joints and in the case of spinal arthritis, a bone spur on a disk in the cervical region may make swallowing difficult or even painful.

Treating Spondylosis Without Surgery

For most patients with spondylosis, or spinal arthritis, treatment will not require surgery. In many instances lifestyle changes such as maintaining a healthy weight, eating a nutritionally balance diet and proper exercise can help relieve the effects of spinal arthritis. However, some exercises may cause additional damage to certain areas of the spine and should be recommended by a medical professional.

There are some patients who have realized success in relieving the pain of spinal arthritis by wearing a neck brace, but they are not recommended for long-term use. They can provide benefits for a short time, such as a week, but using them over the long haul tends to weaken the back and neck muscles and can actually contribute to additional pain. Bed rest may also be recommended for short-term relief, but continued bed rest can also result in blood clots.

Some alternative treatments such as chiropractic care and acupuncture have shown to offer pain relief to those with spinal arthritis. Persons considering manipulation as a means of therapy should rely on a chiropractor experienced in treating patients with spinal arthritis, insuring the manipulations do not cause additional problems.

shoes for arthritis

Shoes For Arthritis Help Prolong Mobility And Give Relief From Pain

With an estimated forty million people seeking some way of getting relief from arthritis pain, learning that there are shoes for arthritis should be particularly welcome news to anyone suffering from foot pain that is a result of an arthritis condition because they will realize that with such shoes they can continue moving despite their arthritis condition. Another worrying fact is that more than half of all arthritic persons aged sixty-five or more need to take defensive steps in order to keep from feeling excruciating pain.

Customized For Individual Needs

Now that there are shoes for arthritis being made to help those with arthritis pain in their feet, these special shoes can be put to good use since they will have a very positive impact on how much stress is placed on the joints in the feet, and with many shoe manufacturers even customizing these shoes for arthritis to fit personal needs, even for those having disfigured feet, it is still possible to find a suitable pair.

However, before turning to using such shoes for arthritis, you may first need to consider how else you can manage your pain and how best to protect your joints. After all, it is only the stress of impact and also pressure on your feet that make your arthritic pain in your feet unbearable. You could even turn to using socks with extra padding which will help provide a cushion to the joints and reduce some of the shock felt by the joints.

You may even need to turn to a Pedorthist who is a person that will customize your shoes for arthritis for you, and thus help you get the maximum relief from arthritis pain in your feet. Even certain companies also work with a doctor’s prescription and will create special shoes that will be most comfortable to wear and which will provide maximum support as well.

There is nothing quite as disheartening as becoming immobile and the very thought of having to be borne on a wheelchair or having to suffer unbearable pain can dishearten even the stoutest hearted people. Mercifully, these shoes for arthritis help prolong an arthritic’s movement and also help in reducing the level of pain experienced, so that, after spending a small amount of money in purchasing such shoes, arthritics with foot pain can spend time moving about and not become totally dependent on others.

For more choice in buying shoes for arthritis, the Internet is a good place to start your search, and you should also be able to research your particular arthritis problem and find out how best to slow the progression of the condition.

septic arthritis

Treating Septic Arthritis

Arthritis is a term used to describe damage to bone joints, a term many of us will become familiar with as we grow older. However, this illness can afflict even young children, making it painful to move, although it is most commonly associated with people over the age of 50. Septic arthritis is most often caused by bacteria, although a virus or fungus may also be to blame, and this disease can affect anyone of any age. However, some factors are thought to lead to an increased risk.

Who's Most at Risk

Prosthetic joints and bones are being used more often and to greater effect now than ever before, but this also leads to a much greater risk for septic arthritis. Implementing prosthetics carry many of the same risks as organ transplants and blood transfusions, although prosthetic limbs are more susceptible to bacterial infections while the others, for all intents and purposes, might force the body to have an allergic reaction.

Symptoms and Bone Damage

Septic arthritis is a dangerous illness for bones. Within days of the infection, a person can feel soreness and eventually pain around the infected regions. While that in itself does not sound too awfully bad, even bearable, septic arthritis can cause permanent damage to cartilage in bone joints. When that happens and goes untreated for a while, it is nearly impossible to heal and is unlikely to ever return to pre-septic arthritis healthiness. With treatment, the infection can be cleared up within a few days or weeks, although from time to time it can take months or even a few years if the infection is really bad. In rare cases, septic arthritis lasts a lifetime, although this is very uncommon.

Depending on the bacteria or fungus infecting the joint, doctors can prescribe a myriad of treatments aimed at eliminating the problem as quickly as possible. Possible treatments include medication, either intravenously or in the form of pills, exercise, and physical therapy. Septic arthritis is a serious problem that indicates other serious problems are present in a patient. Some of the diseases responsible for this form of arthritis are very harmful when present in other areas of the body and need to be dealt with as quickly as possible. The most important thing to keep in mind when dealing with septic arthritis is early diagnosis and treatment, especially because the underlying causes of this disease can create other, even more serious problems elsewhere. Keep these ideas in mind, and septic arthritis need not cause any worry.

rheumatoid arthritis pain relief

Finding Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Relief

There are many different types of arthritis, and it can be confusing for patients when discussing these types. Many patients suffer from a form of arthritis that is actually an auto-immune disease. Rheumatoid arthritis is classified as an auto-immune disease because of the way that the body is attacking its own healthy tissue. All auto-immune diseases have this in common, and in rheumatoid arthritis, the body is attacking the healthy joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis is extremely painful and causes many patients to become disabled. The disease takes the joints and causes them to swell and then become deformed so a patient may not be able to use their hands or even walk due to this disease. It is essential for patients with rheumatoid arthritis to find rheumatoid arthritis pain relief so that they can continue with their day to day lives.

Seeking Medical Intervention

For many patients seeking rheumatoid arthritis pain relief, seeing a physician is the only way to truly obtain any relief. Rheumatoid arthritis pain relief can involve several treatment plans.

Rheumatoid arthritis pain relief may include a medication that can be taken to help with the inflammation that is caused by the joints swelling. These medications are classified as disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. Some of these medications are known under their trade names as Plaquenil, Arava, Imuran and Minocin to name a few.

This form of rheumatoid arthritis pain relief is often combined with other medications to help with the pain. These may include steroid injections into the joints or steroids taken orally. Other medications that help with pain include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. These of course, contain no steroids but can still assist with the pain and inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis.

Some patients are given medications called "biologic agents" that not only help with the inflammation, but also help the immune system to stop attacking the body. These rheumatoid arthritis pain relief medications are known by names such as Enberel, Humira and Remicade to list a few.

A physician, usually a rheumatologist, will determine the best path for a patient to proceed. Often the medications need to be altered and there doesn't seem to be a one size fits all program for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis pain relief can take some time, and it can be difficult for a patient that is in a lot pain to cope. Talk with your physician about how your medications are working and be proactive in your health care.