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Common Types of Arthritis |
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One of the most unbearable human conditions is Arthritis.
Arthritis causes pain, stiffness and sometimes swelling in or around the
joints, making it hard for movements for daily activities to work or take
care of the family. A lot of options are available and steps to avoid
arthritis or to reduce its pain keeping the freedom to move about.
There are more than 100 types of arthritis most cause of which is unknown.
Scientists have been studying causes of arthritis and considering three
major factors that contribute in one way or another to certain types of
arthritis. These factors include genetic factors, life style, and
environmental factors. The significance of these factors varies for
different types of arthritis.
Some of the most common types of arthritis are:
Osteoarthritis (OA)
Osteoarthritis is the most common from all the types of arthritis. It is
also called degenerative arthritis. This occurs when the cushioning
cartilage, the elastic material that covers and protects the ends of the
joints, breaks down. Fragments of cartilage may break off causing pain and
swelling in the joint between bones. The swelling is called inflammation.
The commonly affected areas are the feet, knees, hips and fingers. The
disease is accountable for more trouble walking and stair climbing, thank
any other disease and it is also the most common sign for total joint
replacement of the hip and knee.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
Is one of the types of arthritis where the immune system attacks the lining,
or synovial membrane of the joints. The joint damage can become severe and
deformity may result. This disease also involves the whole body, and may
also cause fatigue, weight loss and anemia, and even affect the lungs, heart
and eyes.
Gout
Is one of the types of arthritis that results from too much uric acid in the
body. With this disease the body either makes too much uric acid or does not
excrete enough. Uric acid is a waste product of the body that is normally
flushed out of the body by kidneys through urine. This is a metabolic
disorder in which uric acids builds up in the blood and crystals form in
joints and other places causing sudden, severe attacks, usually in the big
toes, but any joint can be affected. Drugs and attention to diet can control
gout.
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Is one of the types of arthritis that involves the spine. A chronic
inflammatory disease of the spine that can result in fused vertebrae and
rigid spine. It causes pain and back stiffness and also bent posture, caused
by the ongoing swelling and irritation of the spinal joints. In severe
cases, inflammation of the vertebrae causes them to fuse together leading to
severely limited mobility. This disease is often milder and harder to
diagnose in women.
Juvenile Arthritis
Also called chronic childhood arthritis, this type of arthritis occurs in
children under the age of 16. The disease causes pain, stiffness, and
swelling in one or more of the joints called inflammation. With juvenile
arthritis, the inflammation lasts longer than six weeks and is not caused by
injury or other illness. Some children recover completely but others remain
affected throughout their lives.
Psoriatic Arthritis
Is one of the types of arthritis where the bone and other joint tissues
become inflamed and like rheumatoid arthritis, can affect the whole body. It
also causes a scaly skin rash on the skin of the elbows, knees and scalp. It
usually affects the wrists, knees, ankles, fingers and toes.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
This type of arthritis involves skin, joints, muscles, and sometimes
internal organs. Also called lupus or SLE, where the body’s immune system
stops working properly and the immune system attacks healthy tissues causing
these tissues to become swollen and painful, called inflammation. The
inflammation can happen in the skin, muscles or joints. The heart, lungs,
kidneys, blood vessels or the nervous system can also be attacked by the
immune system. There may be periods of inflammation called flare-ups or
periods where there is little or no inflammation called remissions. Symptoms
can occur in anyone at any age, but usually appear in women of childbearing
age. |
| This article
is provided courtesy of Roxanne Courtmanch. Please visit
www.thehelpingcircle.com for more articles on arthritis
as well as many other topics that may be of interest to you.
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Arthritis Articles
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Arthritis Treatments
Arthritis is a complex disorder commonly characterized by
chronic joint pain and inflammation. The most common forms
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Arthritis Vitamins
The inflammatory process that takes place when a
person is suffering from arthritis changes the lining of the
intestines thus
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Common Symptoms for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Unlike other types of arthritis, rheumatoid
arthritis is actually an autoimmune disease. The immune system of a
patient with
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Common Types of Arthritis
One of the most unbearable human conditions is Arthritis.
Arthritis causes pain, stiffness and sometimes swelling in or
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Degenerative Arthritis
Degenerative arthritis is another name for
osteoarthritis, a type of arthritis characterized by inflammation,
breakdown, and
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Early Symptoms for Rheumatoid Arthritis
If you suspect that you may be getting rheumatoid
arthritis, consulting with your doctor is the first main step that you need
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Glucosamine for Arthritis
Glucosamine is an amino sugar produced from the shells of
shellfish (chitin) and is a key component of the extra cellular
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Gouty Arthritis
Gouty arthritis or more commonly called gout is a form of
arthritis that is characterized by sudden, severe attacks of pain,
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Hip Arthritis
The term arthritis literally means inflammation of a
joint, but is commonly used to describe any condition in which there
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Knee Arthritis
The most common knee arthritis is osteoarthritis, a
degenerative disease where cartilage in joint gradually wears away.
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