Arthritis is a Rheumatic condition which is characterized by pain, aching, stiffness and swelling in and around one or more joints. The symptoms can develop gradually or suddenly.  Therefore, arthritis is not a single disease; it is an informal way of referring to joint pain or joint disease. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis and related conditions. Two of the most common types are osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Causes:

A reduction in the normal amount of cartilage tissue ca

use some forms of arthritis. Normal wear and tear causes OA, one of the most common forms of arthritis.

Another common form of arthritis, RA, is an autoimmune disorder. It occurs when your body’s immune system attacks the tissues of the body. These attacks affect the synovial, a soft tissue in your joints that produces a fluid that nourishes the cartilage and lubricates the joints.

Symptoms:

The most common symptoms for arthritis include:

• Joint Pain
• Stiffness and Swelling
• Feverish
• Redness of the skin around the joint
• Loss of appetite due to inflammation that immune system activity causes
• Severe RA can cause joint deformity

Diagnosis:

Diagnosis of arthritis starts with your doctor performing a physical exam. Your doctor will check for fluid around the joints, warm or red joints and limited range of motion in the joints. Your doctor will extract and analyze inflammation level in your blood and joint fluids in order to determine the kind  of arthritis you have.

Doctors commonly use imaging scans such as X-ray, MRI, and CT scans to produce an image of your bones and cartilage.

Treatment:

Reducing the pain you’re experiencing, preventing additional damage to the joints and improving your joint function- these are the main objectives for the Arthritis treatment.

Medication:

A number of different types of medication treat arthritis. This include:

• Analgesics, for example, hydrocodone (Vicodin) or acetaminophen are effective for pain management.
• Menthol or capsaicin creams: helps in blocking the transmission of pain signals from your joints
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen help in controlling pain and inflammation.

Surgery:

Surgery can be an option to replace your joint with an artificial one. This form of surgery is most commonly performed to replace hips and knees.

Physical treatment:

Physical therapy involving exercises that help strengthen the muscles around the affected joint is a core component of arthritis treatment.

To discuss more about Arthritis you can consult a doctor via video or telephone call at Medharbour.com