Rheumatoid Arthritis

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Rheumatoid arthritis and general arthritis statistics

Rheumatoid arthritis affects about 2.1 million Americans and other types of arthritis and related conditions in general affect nearly 43 million Americans, or about one of every six people, making it one of the most prevalent diseases in the United States. By 2020, as the baby boomer generation ages, an estimated 60 million Americans will be affected by it.

General Arthritis Symptoms

Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more joints where the lining of the joints degenerates. It is characterized by pain, swelling, stiffness, deformity or diminished range of motion. It affects the body's movable joints, joints of the body are found at the knees, wrists, elbows, fingers, toes, hips and shoulders. The neck and back also have joints between the bones of the spine.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Is a type of inflammatory arthritis. It is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks the body. It frequently occurs in people under 40 years of age, including children. It affects women more than any other group, and is characterized by joint stiffness upon awakening, swelling in specific fingers or wrist joints, swelling in the soft tissues around the joints, inflammation occurring equally on both sides of the body, this is a distinguishing feature that differentiates it from other types of arthritis. Swelling can occur with or without pain and can worsen progressively. While osteoarthritis affects individual joints rheumatoid arthritis may affect all the body's joints.

Osteoarthritis

Involves deterioration of the cartilage that covers the end of bones. It is a

degenerative joint disease, stiffness and pain occur on joint motion. The disease has a gradual onset with inflammation and enlargement of the joint presenting in later stages. It typically occurs in individuals over 40 years of age and can be seen in nearly everyone over the age of 60. It affects women more than men and fractures are likely because osteoarthritis makes the bones brittle. X-ray findings may show narrowed joint spaces, cartilage erosion and bone spurs (pointy bulges of bone).

Gout

Is caused by buildup of uric acid in the body. Uric acid is found in high amounts in meat. When uric acid levels rise in the body, it crystallizes and causes sharp needlelike pain, particularly in the toes and feet. The immune system then attacks the crystals and causes pain and swelling. Certain foods such as anchovies, shellfish, beans, lentils, mushrooms, spinach, asparagus, legumes, shrimp and alcohol and also some prescription medications may precipitate a gout attack as well.

Fibromyalgia

Click on the following link to read about fibromyalgia.

Reactive Arthritis

Is a form of arthritis, or joint inflammation, that occurs as a "reaction" to an infection elsewhere in the body. Inflammation is a characteristic reaction of tissues to injury or disease and is marked by swelling, redness, heat, and pain. Besides this joint inflammation, it is associated with two other symptoms: redness and inflammation of the eyes (conjunctivitis) and inflammation of the urinary tract (urethritis). These symptoms may occur alone, together, or not at all.

Another name for it is Reiter's syndrome, and your doctor may refer to it by yet another term, as a seronegative spondyloarthropathy. The seronegative spondyloarthropathies are a group of disorders that can cause inflammation throughout the body, especially in the spine. (Examples of other disorders in this group include psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and the kind of arthritis that sometimes accompanies inflammatory bowel disease.) Reactive arthritis is not contagious; that is, a person with the disorder cannot pass the arthritis on to someone else. However, the bacteria that can trigger reactive arthritis can be passed from person to person.

Overall, men between the ages of 20 and 40 are most likely to develop reactive arthritis. However, evidence shows that although men are nine times more likely than women to develop it due to venereally acquired infections, women and men are equally likely to develop it as a result of food-borne infections. Women with reactive arthritis often have milder symptoms than men.

Click here to view a list of questions Doctors usually ask in order to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis. Find out some of the common lab tests ordered to confirm a diagnosis of arthritis.  

Rheumatoid Arthritis Causes

1)Trauma that causes joint instability.

2)Aging.

3)Obesity (Particularly affects the knee joints).

4)Altered biochemistry (eg body becoming acidic).

5)Immobility.

6)Hormonal changes.

7)Diet changes.

8)Stress.

9)Genetics.

10)Infections.

Rheumatoid Arthritis & General Arthritis Management options

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