Arthritis
Description
Arthritis, the chronic swelling of joints within the body, affects half of all people age 65 and older.
The condition can take over 100 different forms, ranging in severity, symptoms, and possible treatments. While researchers have pinpointed causes for some types of arthritis, most remain unexplained. When afflicted with arthritis, a patient can experience pain and loss of movement in nearly any part of the body. The condition is usually chronic, seeping into the joints over a long period of time. The more serious forms can cause swelling, warmth, redness, and pain. The three most common kinds of arthritis in older people are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout. Juvenile arthritis is a type of arthritis that afflicts children under age 16.
- Osteoarthritis, once called degenerative joint disease, is the most common type of arthritis in older people. Symptoms can range from stiffness and mild pain that comes and goes to severe joint pain and even disability. Osteoarthritis often hurts in joints that bear a lot of weight such as the knee, hip, and spine than in the wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints.
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be one of the more disabling forms of arthritis. Signs of RA often include morning stiffness, swelling in three or more joints, swelling of the same joints on both sides of the body (both hands, for example), and bumps (or nodules) under the skin most commonly found near the elbow. It is also likely that people who get RA have certain inherited traits (genes) that cause a disturbance in the immune system.
- Gout occurs most often in older men. It affects the toes, ankles, elbows, wrists, and hands. An acute attack of gout is very painful and usually begins at night with increasing pain. Swelling may cause the skin to pull tightly around the joint and make the area red or purple and very tender.
Symptoms
- Swelling in one or more joint(s)
- Morning stiffness lasting 30 minutes or longer
- Joint pain or tenderness that is constant or that comes and goes
- Not being able to move a joint in the normal way
- Redness or warmth in a joint
- Weight loss, fever, or weakness and joint pain that can't be explained
* Note that controlling or losing weight can reduce the stress on joints and can help avoid further damage.
Cause and Risk Factors
The causes of arthritis vary greatly. Osteoarthritis is often brought on by an initial injury that damages the cartilage within a joint, and is compounded by genetic pre-disposition. Obesity is also a risk factor for osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is believed to be caused by an auto-immune reaction; that is, the body attacks its own tissues as though they were foreign matter. Gout develops when uric acid crystals lodge in the joints. However, arthritis remains one of the larger mysteries of modern science.
Treatment
Treatments for arthritis work to reduce pain and swelling, keep joints moving safely, and avoid further damage to joints. Treatments include:
- Acetaminophen (sold over the counter as Tylenol) can be used to control pain in patients and should be the first drug used to treat patients with with osteoarthritis (OA). Common over-the-counter nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen can be used to help inflammation and pain of arthritis. Other prescription medications, including celecoxib (Celebrex), and gold sodium thiomalate (Myochrisine) may be prescribed to manage the symptoms of arthritis. People taking medicine for any form of arthritis should limit the amount of alcohol they drink.
- Injectable fluids known as hyalens may replace or supplement lost synovial fluid. These treatments are very popular for those suffering from osteoarthritis in the knee. A popular treatment, the "Synvisc" injection, is detailed in a report on this site.
- Injecting liquid cortisone directly into the joint may temporarily relieve pain and swelling. However repeated and frequent injections into the same joint can damage the joint.
- Exercise, such as a daily walk or swim, helps keep joints moving, reduces pain, and strengthens muscles around the joints. Protecting joints with canes, crutches, walkers, or splints may help relieve the stress and strain on bothersome arthritic joints. Rest is also important for the joints affected by arthritis.
- Many people find that soaking in a warm bath, swimming in a heated pool, or applying heat or cold to the area around the joint helps reduce pain.
- When damage to the joints becomes disabling or when other treatments fail to reduce pain, your doctor may suggest surgery. Surgeons can repair or replace damaged joints with artificial ones. The most common operations are knee and hip replacements.
If any one of the following symptoms lasts longer than 2 weeks, see your regular doctor or a doctor who specializes in arthritis (a rheumatologist).
Pain and inflammation
Swelling and stiffness
Loss of range of motion
"Sticking" and weakness in joint
A cracking or grating sound when joints move
The doctor will ask questions about the history of your symptoms and do a physical exam. The doctor may take x-rays or do lab tests before developing a treatment plan, which may include diet restriction.
Last updated: 16-Feb-06
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