Arthritis

Arthritis is a common condition that causes pain and stiffness in one or more joints. It's essentially inflammation of the joints. Two of the most common types are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis happens when the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones in your joints wears down over time. Think of it like the padding on your knees and hips gradually disappearing, leading to friction and pain. This often gets worse as people age.

Rheumatoid arthritis is different. It's an autoimmune disease, meaning your body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy joint tissues, starting with the lining of the joints. This inflammation can cause swelling, pain, and stiffness.

Another type of arthritis is gout. Gout is caused by a buildup of uric acid crystals in the joints. These crystals form when there's too much uric acid in your blood.

Other types of arthritis can be caused by infections or other underlying health problems, such as psoriasis or lupus.

Doctors use different treatments for different types of arthritis. The goal of treatment is always to reduce the pain and stiffness, and to help people maintain a good quality of life.

Arthritis is a condition that often affects the joints. Common symptoms of arthritis include:

• Pain: This is a frequent problem, and the pain can range from mild discomfort to severe throbbing. The pain might be constant or come and go.

• Stiffness: Your joints may feel stiff, especially after periods of rest, like when you wake up in the morning. This stiffness can make it hard to move your joints.

• Swelling: The affected joint might look bigger than usual. This swelling is often accompanied by tenderness and warmth.

• Redness: The skin over the affected joint might turn red. This redness can be a sign of inflammation.

• Reduced movement: You might not be able to move your joint as much as you used to. This limited movement can make everyday tasks more challenging.

Arthritis comes in two main forms: osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. They both affect joints, but they do so in different ways.

Osteoarthritis is the most common type. Think of it like wearing down a hinge on a door. Healthy joints have a smooth, slippery coating called cartilage that covers the ends of the bones where they meet. This cartilage acts like a cushion, letting the bones move easily against each other with very little friction. Over time, or sometimes due to an injury or infection, this cartilage wears away. Eventually, the bones rub directly against each other. This rubbing causes pain and makes it hard to move the joint. Osteoarthritis also affects the tissues that connect muscles to bones and hold the joint together, making them weaker and more prone to damage. If the cartilage is badly worn, the joint lining can swell and become inflamed.

Rheumatoid arthritis is different. In this type, the body's own immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of the joint capsule. The joint capsule is like a tough, protective covering around the joint, enclosing the bones, cartilage, and other structures. The lining of this capsule, called the synovial membrane, becomes inflamed and swollen. This inflammation can damage the cartilage and bone over time, making the joint significantly less functional.

Factors that can increase your chances of getting arthritis include:

• Family history: If arthritis runs in your family (meaning your parents or siblings have it), you might be more prone to developing it yourself. This is because some types of arthritis have a genetic component, meaning certain genes can make you more susceptible.

• Getting older: Many kinds of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout, become more common as you age. Your joints simply wear down and experience more stress over time.

• Gender: Women are more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than men. However, gout is more frequently seen in men.

• Past joint injuries: If you've hurt a joint, whether from sports or other activities, that joint may be more vulnerable to developing arthritis later. The injury might damage the cartilage or surrounding tissues, making it more prone to further wear and tear.

• Being overweight or obese: Extra weight puts a lot of strain on your joints, especially your knees, hips, and spine. The extra pressure can accelerate the breakdown of cartilage and increase the risk of developing arthritis. Maintaining a healthy weight is important for joint health.

Arthritis, especially in your hands and arms, can make everyday tasks hard. If arthritis affects joints that carry your weight, like your hips or knees, it can make walking and standing uncomfortable. Sometimes, the shape and position of your joints can change over time. This can lead to pain and difficulty with movement.

Doctors use several methods to diagnose arthritis. During a physical exam, they check for swelling, redness, and warmth in your joints, and how easily you can move them. This helps them understand the problem.

To figure out what kind of arthritis you might have, doctors look at different body fluids, such as blood, urine, and the fluid inside your joints. To get a sample of joint fluid, they clean and numb the area around the joint before using a needle to gently remove a small amount.

Various tests help doctors find the cause of your joint problems. These include:

• X-rays: X-rays use a small amount of radiation to create images of your bones. They can show if there's damage to the cartilage, bone, or if bony growths (spurs) are present. Sometimes, early signs of arthritis might not show up on X-rays, but they're often used to see how the disease progresses over time.

• CT scans (Computed Tomography): CT scans take many X-ray pictures from different angles and combine them to create detailed cross-sectional images of your body. They can show problems with both bones and the soft tissues around them.

• MRI scans (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): MRI scans use powerful magnets and radio waves to create detailed images, particularly of soft tissues like cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. This allows doctors to see more detail than with X-rays or CT scans.

• Ultrasound: Ultrasound uses sound waves to create images of soft tissues, cartilage, and fluid-filled sacs near the joints (called bursae). Ultrasound can help doctors see any problems and can even guide them as they insert needles to remove joint fluid or inject medicine into the joint.

These different tests work together to give doctors a comprehensive picture of what's happening in your joints, allowing for a more accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.