What is Arthritis?
Arthritis is characterized by an inflammation of the joints, and it can affect one joint or more joints. Surprisingly, there are over 100 different types of arthritis, each with different causes and treatments. The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
The common symptoms of arthritis generally develop over time, but symptoms can also appear very suddenly. Arthritis is most commonly seen in adults over 65, but it can also develop in children, teens, and younger adults. Arthritis is more common in women than men, and people who are overweight are particularly susceptible.
What are the symptoms of Arthritis?
The most common symptoms of arthritis are joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. Many arthritis sufferers experience a decreased range of motion, and many experience redness of the skin and tenderness around the joint. Many people with arthritis report their symptoms are worse in the morning.
In the case of Rheumatoid Arthritis, many people feel tired and experience a loss of appetite due to inflammation and their immune system response. People with RA can also become anemic — meaning their red blood cell count decreases — or have a slight fever. Severe RA can cause joint deformity if left untreated for any length of time.
What causes Arthritis?
Cartilage is a firm, but flexible connective tissue that exists in your joints. It protects the joints by absorbing the pressure and shock created when you move and put stress on them. A reduction in the normal amount of this cartilage tissue cause some forms of arthritis.
Normal wear and tear causes Osteoarthritis, one of the most common forms of arthritis. An infection or injury to the joints can exacerbate this natural breakdown of cartilage tissue. Your risk of developing OA is considerably higher if you have a family history of the disease.
Another common form of arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, is an autoimmune disorder. It occurs when your immune system attacks the tissues of the body. These attacks affect the synovium, a soft tissue in your joints that produces a fluid that nourishes the cartilage and lubricates the joints.
RA is a disease of the synovium that will invade and destroy a joint. It can eventually lead to the destruction of both bone and cartilage inside the joint.
The exact cause of the immune system’s attacks is unknown, but scientists have discovered genetic markers that increase one’s risk of developing Rheumatoid Arthritis fivefold.
How is Arthritis diagnosed?
Making an appointment with your primary care physician is an excellent first step if you’re unsure who to see for an arthritis diagnosis. The doctor will perform a physical exam to check for fluid around the joints, warm or red joints, and limited range of motion in the joints.
If necessary, your doctor can refer you to a specialist for additional testing. If you’re experiencing severe symptoms, you may choose to schedule an appointment with a rheumatologist first. This may lead to a faster diagnosis and treatment.
Extracting and analyzing inflammation levels in your blood and joint fluids will help your doctor determine what type of arthritis you have. Blood tests that check for specific types of antibodies like anti-CCP (anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide), RF (rheumatoid factor), and ANA (antinuclear antibody) are common diagnostic tests.
Doctors regularly use imaging scans such as X-ray, MRI, and CT scans to produce an image of your bones and cartilage. This is so they can rule out other causes of your symptoms, such as bone spurs.
How is Arthritis treated?
The primary goal of treatment is to reduce the degree of pain you’re experiencing and to prevent additional damage to the joints. Your doctor can help you learn learn what works best for you in terms of arthritis pain management. Many people find heating pads and ice packs to be soothing, while others use mobility assistance devices, like canes or walkers, to help relieve the pressure off sore joints.
Improving your joint function is also important. Most doctors will prescribe you a combination of treatment methods to achieve the best results.
Medication
There are number of different types of medication treat arthritis:
Analgesics, such as hydrocodone (Vicodin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol), are effective for pain management, but they do very little to decrease inflammation.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil) and salicylates, can help control pain and inflammation. Salicylates can have a thinning effect on your blood, so they should be used very cautiously with additional blood thinning medications.
Menthol or capsaicin creams work very well to block the transmission of pain signals from your joints.
Immunosuppressants like prednisone or cortisone can play an important role in the reduction of inflammation.
If you have RA, your doctor may prescribe corticosteroids or disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), which will help suppress your immune system. There are also many medications to treat OA that are available over the counter or by prescription.
Surgery
Surgery to replace your joint with an artificial one may be an option. This form of surgery is most commonly performed to replace hips and knees.
If your arthritis is most severe in your fingers or wrists, your doctor may perform a joint fusion. In this procedure, the ends of your bones are locked together until they heal and become one.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy involving exercises that help strengthen the muscles around the affected joint is a core component of arthritis treatment.
What lifestyle changes can help people with arthritis?
Weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight reduce the risk of developing OA and can reduce symptoms if you already have it.
Eating a healthy diet is important for weight loss. Choosing a diet with lots of antioxidants, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs, can help reduce inflammation. Other inflammation-reducing foods include fish and nuts.
Foods to minimize or avoid if you have arthritis include fried foods, processed foods, dairy products, and high intakes of meat.
Some research also suggests that gluten antibodies may be present in people with RA. A gluten-free diet may improve symptoms and disease progression. A 2015 study also recommends a gluten-free diet for all people who receive a diagnosis of undifferentiated connective tissue disease.
Regular exercise will keep your joints flexible. Swimming is often a good form of exercise for people with arthritis because it doesn’t put pressure on your joints the way running and walking do. Staying active is important, but you should also be sure to rest when you need to and avoid overexerting yourself.
At-home exercises you can try include:
the head tilt, neck rotation, and other exercises to relieve pain in your neck, finger bends and thumb bends to ease pain in your hands, leg raises, hamstring stretches, and other easy exercises for knee arthritis.
What is the long-term outlook for people with arthritis?
While there’s no cure for arthritis, the right treatment can greatly reduce your symptoms.
In addition to the treatments your doctor recommends, you can make a number of lifestyle changes that may help you manage your arthritis.