Everything You Need to Know About Arthritis in Detail

Joints are crucial parts of our body. They enable us to move from one place to another—essential for an active lifestyle. But, joint problems can also make us physically disabled. One such joint problem is arthritis. To learn about this joint condition in detail, read the following article.

What Is Arthritis?

Arthritis is a medical term that refers to joint inflammation in general. Joints are flexible and mobile points in our body (or the musculoskeletal system). These points help in mobility. In arthritis, the affected joints become painful, stiff and difficult to move. Immobility impacts day-to-day life severely.

Causes and Types

Arthritis or joint pain has multiple causes. Some people have joint pain because of an autoimmune disorder. Others have it due to wear and tear of soft tissue or articular cartilage over joint bone ends. Yet, urate crystal formation in the joint is another cause of intense and chronic joint pain. Based on such different reasons causing joint pain, there are several types of arthritis as explained below.

• Osteoarthritis: Loss of soft-tissue layers over bone ends in a joint leads to stiffness. The joint bones rub against each other during motion. It hampers smooth movements, leading to chronic joint pain and mobility issues.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: This condition causes widespread joint pain. This is an autoimmune condition. It happens when the immune system mistakenly attacks joints’ healthy tissues. This arthritis doesn’t stop with attacking cartilage but the joint lining or synovial membrane.

Then, in its advanced stage, other joint parts also get damaged.

• Gout: Uric acid can increase in our body causing Hyperuricemia due to more than one factor. Increased uric acid might end up creating needle-like crystals within body parts including joints. When these formations build up in a joint, it leads to joint inflammation.

This condition is known as Gout; it is a complex form of arthritis that especially affects the big toe. However, it can occur in any joint.

• Psoriatic Arthritis: This is a form of arthritis that occurs in some people who already have Psoriasis; it is a skin disease. This disease causes red patches over the skin. It is an autoimmune disease. The body’s immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues. This condition is medically believed to be genetic but also caused by environmental factors.
• Septic Arthritis: It is a joint infection that leads to pain and mobility issues. Pathogens, i.e., disease-causing microorganisms can enter a joint either directly or even through the bloodstream because some remote body part is already infected.

For example, Endocarditis, an infection in the heart, can travel all the way down to joints and cause septic arthritis.

• Reactive Arthritis: The body can harbor genital, intestine or urinary tract infections. When such an infection causes joint pain and swelling even though joints aren’t infected, it is called reactive arthritis.
• Spinal Arthritis: The backbone is made up of 33 vertebrae. A vertebra is a small unit of spine bone. Each bone forms the spine sitting on top of one another. Thus, the spine itself has a lot of joints. So, the spine is also prone to develop arthritic problems.

Some examples are Cervical Spondylosis (normal wear and tear of disc and vertebral joints in the neck), ankylosing spondylitis (an inflammatory condition leading to vertebral fusion), etc. These are the major forms or types of arthritis. Different causes are considered while categorizing arthritic conditions. For example, when joint pain is because of the degeneration of articular cartilage, it is called osteoarthritis. And, when it is due to an infection, it is called septic arthritis.

Symptoms

Arthritis manifests in joints essentially in terms of pain, stiffness, tenderness, swelling and mobility issues!

Diagnosis

A variety of conditions lead to joint pain. Thus, diagnosis is most crucial for effective treatment! A variety of imaging tests can be used to assess joint conditions for the accuracy of diagnosis.

• X-Ray
• Ultrasound
• MRI
• CT Scan

If suspicious about osteoarthritis, a joint specialist might want to have an X-ray image of the affected joint. It will help them know about conditions like cartilage loss, bone spurs and bone damage, which is typical of advanced osteoarthritis. A doctor might also utilize the technology of ultrasound to examine soft tissues within a joint. However, such soft tissues must not lie too deep within the skin. Furthermore, if necessary, MRI and CT scans can also be used for detailed imaging of internal structures. These tests can produce images of both soft and hard tissues within the joint.

Treatment

Joint pain can be treated with any or all of the following options after the diagnosis.

• Medications: Painkillers can be used to manage pain.
• Biologics: These are drugs that are developed from living beings or from the cells of the patient’s own body. Examples are stem cell therapy, plasma-rich platelet therapy, vaccines etc.

Biologics boost the healing capacity of the body or a specific part of the body where the medicine is injected. A boost in healing capabilities reduces joint inflammation.

• Physiotherapy: This therapy relieves pain and improves function after a joint injury. To achieve these outcomes, a physiotherapist uses exercises, special hand maneuver’s and preventative education.
• Surgery: When non-invasive treatment doesn’t offer relief from joint pain, surgery is recommended. One might require arthroscopy, joint replacement surgery and joint fusion as per the conditions revealed in the diagnosis.

Hip replacement surgery is an example of joint replacement. To learn about its effectiveness, refer to the following link: hip replacement surgery success rate.

Whom to Consult for Arthritis

For joint pain, one must only consult an orthopedic doctor. An orthopedist or orthopedic doctor is a medical professional who specializes in treating musculoskeletal disorders! Such a specialist will decide whether you need medicines, injections, therapies or surgical interventions for lasting relief from joint pain.

When to Consult A Doctor

If joint pain has impacted your everyday life severely, stop taking painkillers or other temporary home remedies. Consult an orthopedic doctor before it gets worse. The following are the signs that your joint condition is progressing/becoming worse:

• Your mobility has reduced more than previously
• Walking and doing essential everyday tasks have become more difficult
• Morning stiffness has increased
• Joint pain doesn’t go away without pain medicines

So, when these signs show up, it is time to see a joint specialist. Don’t ignore or use painkillers regularly or the harm would be more than the benefits! If an orthopedic surgeon has suggested hip replacement surgery to you, learn how safe and effective this procedure is by accessing the following link: hip replacement surgery recovery time.