what is arthritis? describe it's types
Answers
Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints. It can affect one joint or multiple joints.Two of the most common types are osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Osteoarthritis
What is it? More people have this condition than any other form of arthritis. It's the "wear and tear" that happens when your joints are overused. It usually happens with age, but it can also come from joint injuries or obesity, which puts extra stress on your joints.
Joints that bear weight -- like your knees, hips, feet, and spine -- are the most common places it affects. It often comes on gradually over months or years. It makes the affected joint hurt. But you don’t feel sick or have the fatigue that comes with some other types of arthritis.
What happens: You lose your body's shock absorber. Cartilage, the slippery material that covers the ends of bones, gradually breaks down.
Symptoms depend on which joint or joints are affected. You may have:
Deep, aching pain
Trouble dressing, combing your hair, gripping things, bending over, squatting, or climbing stairs, depending on which joints are involved
Morning stiffness that typically lasts less than 30 minutes
Pain when walking
Stiffness after resting
Your joint may be:
Warm to the touch
Swollen and harder to move
Unable to move through a full range of motion
Rheumatoid Arthritis
What is it? RA is an autoimmune disease. That means the immune system attacks parts of the body, especially the joints. That leads to inflammation, which can cause severe joint damage if you don't treat it. About 1 out of every 5 people who have rheumatoid arthritis get lumps on their skin called rheumatoid nodules. These often form over joint areas that receive pressure, such as over knuckles, elbows, or heels.
What happens: Doctors don't know exactly what causes RA. Some experts believe the immune system becomes "confused" after an infection with a bacteria or virus and starts to attack your joints. This battle can spread to other areas of the body.
Scientists think two of the body's chemicals that are related to inflammation, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-1, trigger other parts of the immune system in rheumatoid arthritis. Medicines that block TNF, interleukin-1, and interleukin-6 can improve the symptoms and prevent joint damage.
Symptoms can come on gradually or start suddenly. They're often more severe than with osteoarthritis.
The most common include:
Pain, stiffness, and swelling in your hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, ankles, feet, jaw, and neck. Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects multiple joints.
More than one swollen joint. Usually, it's small joints in your wrists, hands, or feet.
A symmetrical pattern. When the knuckles on your left hand are inflamed, the knuckles on your right hand probably will be as well. After some time, you may notice more of your joints feel warm or become painful or swollen.
Morning stiffness than can last for hours or even most of the day. You may also feel fatigued and notice that your appetite is down and you've lost weight.
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