Who is affected by arthritis

There may be a specific cause, such as osteoarthritis. This is often called spondylosis when it occurs in the spine. Imaging tests or a physical examination may detect this. Connective tissues support, bind together, or separate other body tissues and organs. They include tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. CTD involves joint pain and inflammation.

The inflammation may also occur in other tissues, including the skin, muscles, lungs, and kidneys. This can result in various symptoms besides painful joints, and it may require consultation with a number of different specialists.

A bacterium, virus, or fungus that enters a joint can sometimes cause inflammation. A joint infection can often be cleared with antibiotics or other antimicrobial medication.

However, the arthritis can sometimes become chronic, and joint damage may be irreversible if the infection has persisted for some time. Uric acid is a chemical created when the body breaks down substances called purines. Purines are found in human cells and several foods. Most uric acid dissolves in blood and travels to the kidneys. From there, it passes out in urine.

Some people have high levels of uric, acid because they either naturally produce more than they need or their body cannot clear the uric acid quickly enough. Uric acid builds up and accumulates in some people and forms needle-like crystals in the joint, resulting in sudden spikes of extreme joint pain or a gout attack. It commonly affects a single joint or a small number of joints, such as the big toe and hands.

It usually affects the extremities. One theory is that uric acid crystals form in cooler joints, away from the main warmth of the body. Cartilage is a flexible, connective tissue in joints that absorb the pressure and shock created by movement like running and walking.

It also protects the joints and allows for smooth movement. Persistent inflammation in the synovia leads to the degeneration of cartilage and bone. This can then lead to joint deformity, pain, swelling, and redness. RA causes premature mortality and disability and it can compromise quality of life. Conditions it is linked to include cardiovascular diseases, such as ischemic heart disease and stroke.

Diagnosing RA early gives a better chance of learning how to manage symptoms successfully. This can reduce the impact of the disease on quality of life. Osteoarthritis is a common degenerative joint disease that affects the cartilage , joint lining and ligaments, and underlying bone of a joint.

The joints most often affected by osteoarthritis are those that get heavy use, such as hips, knees, hands, the spine, the base of the thumb, and the big toe joint.

This can refer to a number of types of arthritis. Arthritis in childhood can cause permanent damage to joints, and there is no cure. However, remission is possible, during which time the disease remains inactive.

This is thought to affect between 2 and 10 people in every , in the general population. Among people with RA, it may affect 30 to 70 people per , Septic arthritis is a joint inflammation that results from a bacterial or fungal infection. It commonly affects the knee and hip. It can develop when bacteria or other disease-causing micro-organisms spread through the blood to a joint, or when the joint is directly infected with a microorganism through injury or surgery. Bacteria such as Staphylococcus , Streptococcus , or Neisseria gonorrhoeae cause most cases of acute septic arthritis.

Organisms such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Candida albicans cause chronic septic arthritis. This is less common than acute septic arthritis.

Septic arthritis may occur at any age. In infants, it may occur before the age of 3 years. The hip is a common site of infection at this age. Septic arthritis is uncommon from 3 years to adolescence. Children with septic arthritis are more likely than adults to be infected with Group B Streptococcus or Haemophilus influenzae if they have not been vaccinated.

The incidence of bacterial arthritis caused by infection with H. The following conditions increase the risk of developing septic arthritis:.

Septic arthritis is a rheumatologic emergency as it can lead to rapid joint destruction. It can be fatal. Fibromyalgia affects an estimated 4 million adults in the U. S, or around 2 percent of the population. The person may experience abnormal pain processing, where they reacts strongly to something that other people would not find painful. There may also be tingling or numbness in the hands and feet, pain in the jaw, and digestive problems.

Later on, joints can become swollen and inflamed. Enthesitis-related arthritis is a type of juvenile arthritis that often affects the joints of the leg and spine, causing inflammation where the tendons attach to the bone.

It's also linked to a painful eye condition called acute uveitis. Versus Arthritis has more information about the different types of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. There's no cure for arthritis, but there are many treatments that can help slow it down. Osteoarthritis treatments include lifestyle changes, medicines and surgery.

Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis aims to slow the condition's progress and minimise joint inflammation. This helps prevent joint damage. Treatments include medication, physiotherapy and surgery. Versus Arthritis provides help and support for people in the UK with arthritis, plus their families and friends. They have a free helpline you can call for further information and support on , Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm.

You can also look up arthritis services near where you live. Find out more about living with arthritis. Symptoms of knee osteoarthritis include stiffness, swelling, and pain, which make it hard to walk, climb, and get in and out of chairs and bathtubs. Osteoarthritis in the knees can lead to disability. The hips are also common sites of osteoarthritis. As with knee osteoarthritis, symptoms of hip osteoarthritis include pain and stiffness of the joint itself. But sometimes pain is felt in the groin, inner thigh, buttocks, or even the knees.

Osteoarthritis of the hip may limit moving and bending, making daily activities such as dressing and putting on shoes a challenge. Osteoarthritis of the spine may show up as stiffness and pain in the neck or lower back. In some cases, arthritis-related changes in the spine can cause pressure on the nerves where they exit the spinal column, resulting in weakness, tingling, or numbness of the arms and legs. In severe cases, this can even affect bladder and bowel function. Researchers suspect that osteoarthritis is caused by a combination of factors in the body and the environment.

The chance of developing osteoarthritis increases with age. Putting too much stress on a joint that has been previously injured, improper alignment of joints, and excess weight all may contribute to the development of osteoarthritis. In the joints, this inflammatory response affects the synovium, a soft tissue in your joints that produces a fluid that nourishes the cartilage and lubricates the joints, eventually destroying both bone and cartilage inside the joint.

But scientists have discovered genetic markers that increase your risk of developing RA fivefold. They will perform a physical exam to check for fluid around the joints, warm or red joints, and document the range of motion in the joints. Your doctor can refer you to a specialist if needed. This may lead to a faster diagnosis and treatment. Documenting inflammation levels in your blood and aspirating and analyzing joint fluids, if present, can help your doctor determine what kind of arthritis you have.

Blood tests that check for specific types of antibodies like anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide CCP , rheumatoid factor RF and antinuclear antibody ANA are also common diagnostic tests. Doctors commonly use imaging scans such as X-ray , MRI , and CT scans to produce an image of your bones and cartilage. This helps them rule out other causes of your symptoms, such as bone spurs. In general, treatment for arthritis involves a combination of:. Improving your joint function is also important. Your doctor may prescribe a combination of treatment methods to achieve the best results.

A number of different types of medication treat arthritis:. If you have RA, your doctor may recommend corticosteroids or disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs DMARDs , which suppress your immune system. Methotrexate is now a first-line drug for treatment. There are also many medications to treat OA available over the counter or by prescription.

While clinical evidence and safety data are lacking for many herbs and supplements marketed for arthritis, there are a few supplements that may be beneficial. Fish oil and turmeric supplements may help reduce inflammation in RA. Surgery to replace your joint with an artificial one may be an option.

This form of surgery is most commonly performed to replace hips and knees. If your arthritis is most severe in your fingers or wrists , your doctor may perform joint fusion. In this procedure, the ends of your bones are fused, eliminating the joint and therefore eliminating the site of inflammation. Physical therapy involving exercises that help strengthen the muscles around the affected joint is a core component of arthritis treatment.