Definition of arthritis
Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more of joints in the body. It is associated with joint pain and stiffness. Actually, “arthritis” is not a single disease; it is an informal way of referring to joint pain or joint disease. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis and related conditions. People of all ages, sexes and races can and do have arthritis, and it is the leading cause of disability, which typically worsen with age.
Types of arthritis
There are different types of arthritis, but notably among them are:
· degenerative arthritis;
· inflammatory arthritis;
· infectious arthritis; and
· metabolic arthritis
Degenerative arthritis
Degenerative arthritis also referred to as osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. This type of arthritis is associated wearing away which occur when bones rub against bones, causing pain, swelling and stiffness. Over time, joints can lose strength and pain may become chronic. Risk factors include excess weight, family history, age and previous injury.
Inflammatory arthritis
This type of arthritis occur when immune system mistakenly attack joint with uncontrolled inflammation, potentially causing joint erosion and may damage internal organs, eyes and other parts of the body.
Infectious arthritis
Infectious arthritis can result from the presence of a bacterium, virus or fungus which enters the joint and trigger inflammation. Examples of organisms that can infect joints are salmonella and shigella, Chlamydia, gonorrhea and hepatitis C.
Metabolic arthritis
Metabolic arthritis occur uric acid resulting from metabolic activities when it builds up and forms needle-like crystals in the joint, resulting in sudden spikes of extreme joint pain, or a gout attack.
Causes of arthritis
The most common cause of arthritis, involves wear-and-tear damage to the joint’s cartilage which are the hard, slick coating on the ends of the bones. Enough damage can result in bone grinding directly on bone, which causes pain and restricted movement. This wear and tear can occur over many years, or it can be hastened by a joint injury or infection.
Arthritis can also result from the body’s immune system attacks on the lining of the joint capsule which is a tough membrane that encloses all the joint parts. This lining, known as the synovial membrane, becomes inflamed and swollen. The disease process can eventually destroy cartilage and bone within the joint.
Signs and symptoms of arthritis
Signs and symptoms of arthritis include pain, which can vary in severity, is a common symptom in virtually all types of arthritis. Other symptoms may include:
- Swelling, joint stiffness and aching around the joint(s).
- Inability to use the hand or walk
- Stiffness, which may be worse in the morning.
- Malaise and fatigue
- Weight loss
- Poor sleep
- Muscle aches and pains
- Tenderness
- Difficulty moving the joint
Prevention of arthritis
Measures to prevention arthritis include:
- Maintaining a good body weight: Excess body weight is one of the best-known and most important risk factors for arthritis. The more pressure on joints, the faster they wear out leading to arthritis. To achieve this, a change in diet by adding in fiber each day and eating more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables while limiting refined carbohydrates and fat can be very helpful.
- Avoiding high heels: The human foot was not designed to be on its toes all day long. For some people, high heels will cause trouble, so it is important to avoid them as much as possible.
- Avoid injuries: Taking preventive steps to avoid injuries helps to safeguard an individual health today and may serve as arthritis prevention in the future. Avoiding injury will decrease the risk of developing arthritis later in life.
- Check vitamin D level regularly: It is important to check vitamin D level regularly. People who have adequate levels of vitamin D have less progression of arthritis.
- Stay hydrated: Drinking enough water helps to prevent arthritis. The cartilage in the joints is made up mostly of water, which is what makes it such a great cushion for the joints. When an individual is dehydrated, water gets sucked out of the cartilage and it is more easily damaged by wear and tear.
References
Becker, M. A. (2005). Arthritis and allied conditions: A textbook of rheumatology (15th ed.). New York: Lippincot Williams & Wilkins. pp. 2303–2339
Pirotta, M. (2010). Arthritis disease – the use of complementary therapies. Australian Family Physician, 39 (9), 638–40.
Swash, M. & Glynn, M. (2007). Hutchison’s clinical methods. Edinburgh: Saunders Elsevier.
Usenbo, A., Kramer, V., Young, T., Musekiwa, A, & Nurmohamed, M. (2015). Prevalence of arthritis in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE, 10 (8), e0133858.
VanItallie, T. B. (2010). Gout: epitome of painful arthritis. Metab. Clin. Exp. 59 (Suppl 1), S32–6.
Wollenhaupt, J. & Zeidler, H. (2008). Undifferentiated arthritis and reactive arthritis. Current Opinion in Rheumatology, 10 (4), 306–313.
