Are you suffering from joint pain or stiffness in your arms and legs? Wake Up! You need to get yourself checked immediately even though the symptoms may appear to be minor. For all you know, it maybe Arthritis. Commonly known as the old age disease, it refers to inflammation in one or more joints and can have a detrimental impact on ligaments, muscles, cartilages, tendons, and at times, even internal body organs. Studies have revealed that over 350 million people worldwide suffer from this ailment in some form or other.
Until recent times, the general belief was that people above the age of 50 were more prone to this disorder. However, this is no longer true. A recent study estimated that this disease is spreading rampantly even among young adults not excluding children. In this article we are going to discuss about the different types of arthritis, its causes and cure.
Types of Arthritis
Broadly speaking the causes of this disorder can be divided in two categories:
(a) Non-modifiable risk factors and
(b) Modifiable risk factors
Let us examine each of these categories in details for a better understanding. As the name suggests, non-modifiable risk factors include those causes that are a part of our genetic makeup and nothing much can be done about them, other than adopting prevention strategies. These factors include age, sex and genes. It is said the older you get the more prone you are to this ailment. Studies have also found that women are more susceptible to different arthritis types when compared to men, and finally hereditary could be another cause for this disorder.
Under the modifiable factor you have obesity, joint injuries, infections and occupational hazards. These causes can easily be eliminated by bringing in a positive lifestyle change and practicing healthy habits .Now the next obvious question would be “how do I know I have arthritis?”
Arthritis Symptoms
Different arthritis types have different set of indications. But, some of the most common symptoms of various types of arthritis are painful swelling in the joints, inflammation, progressive symptoms that develops gradually, fever, chills, sharp pain, and in worst cases, a permanent limp.
Types of Arthritis
With advancement in medicine, over hundred types of arthritis have been identified. In this article we will discuss the three most common types that are plaguing majority of people across the globe.
Osteoarthritis
This is the most common form that infects people especially the ones belonging to older age groups. It mostly impacts the weight bearing joints like the knees, hips, feet and ankles. Typically, what happens is that the cartilage that covers the bones tend to break down overtime due to excessive use of these joints. These broken cartilages makes regular movements painful leading to extreme discomfort.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
This is an autoimmune disorder. In this instance, the immune system of the body gets wrong signals and starts attacking the body parts itself, especially the joints causing acute damage. The real cause of this problem is not really identified, but it is highly infectious and should be treated at the earliest.
Psoriatic Arthritis
People suffering from this condition experience inflammation of joints and skin.
Prevention Strategies
There are several different types of treatments available depending on the severity of the condition. In minor cases medication coupled with physiotherapy and dietary changes can do the trick. However, more severe cases may need a surgery.
The key to dealing with arthritis is to identify the problem on time and take quick remedial action.
