Arthritis

Different types of arthritis exist, each with different causes including wear and tear, infections, and underlying diseases.

Symptoms include pain, swelling, reduced range of motion, and stiffness.

Medications, physical therapy, or sometimes surgery helps reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.

joint inflammation

Consult a doctor for medical advice

Sources: Mayo Clinic and others.

Very common

< 0

Cases per year

More than 3 million cases per year in US

Treatment from medical professional advised

Requires a medical diagnosis

Requires lab test or imaging

More common in females

Can last several years or be lifelong

Emergency room visit recommended in severe cases

Family history may increase likelihood

Arthritis is the swelling and tenderness of one or more of your joints. The main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness, which typically worsen with age. The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis causes cartilage — the hard, slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones where they form a joint — to break down. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the immune system attacks the joints, beginning with the lining of joints.

Uric acid crystals, which form when there’s too much uric acid in your blood, can cause gout. Infections or underlying disease, such as psoriasis or lupus, can cause other types of arthritis.

Treatments vary depending on the type of arthritis. The main goals of arthritis treatments are to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.

Doctors will examine joint movements. Blood test and imaging tests help in diagnosing the severity of inflammation and check the progression of disease.

Anti-cyclic citrullinated protein test (Anti-CCP)-

Antinuclear antibody test (ANA)-

C-reactive protein (CRP)-

CT scan-

Whiplash-Provides cross sectional images of bone and helps to check for any possible bone damage.

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)-

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-

Whiplash-To identify damage to spinal cord, disks or ligaments.

Physical examination-

Ultrasound-

X-ray-

Whiplash-X-ray of neck is taken to check for fractures and dislocations.

Ankle -

- Physical discomfort in the ankle area, often including the joint or the tendon that connects the lower leg to the heel (Achilles tendon).

Back -

- Ache, strain, and discomfort in the back. Physical discomfort occurring anywhere on the spine or back, ranging from mild to disabling.

Finger -

- Mild to severe pain in fingers, thumb or their joints.

Hand -

- An unpleasant or distressing sensation of the hand.

Joint -

- Discomfort, pain or inflammation arising from any part of a joint including cartilage, bone, ligaments, tendons or muscles.

Neck -

- Pain felt in the neck. Can be in the neck bones, ligaments or muscles. Pain in the neck and shoulder that varies in intensity, and may feel achy or like an electric shock from the neck to the arm.

Wrist -

- Discomfort and aching sensation in the wrist. Discomfort in the wrist area, usually caused by injury or long-term conditions.

Joint-

-Joints are the junctions between two or more bones. Some joints do not normally move, such as those located between the plates of the skull. Other joints allow a large and complex range of motion. The configuration of a joint determines the degree and direction of possible motion. For example, the shoulder joints, which have a ball-and-socket design, allow inward and outward rotation as well as forward, backward, and sideways motion of the arms. Hinge joints of the knees, fingers, and toes allow only bending (flexion) and straightening (extension).

Bony outgrowth in fingers or toes-

-testing testing ...

Bump on the finger-

Difficulty walking-

Fatigue-

Flare-

Hand-

Joints-

Malaise-

Muscle weakness-

Muscular-

Pain-

Physical deformity-

Redness-

Reduced range of motion-

Stiff neck-

Stiffness-

Swelling-

-Puffiness caused by excess fluid trapped in the body's tissues.

Tenderness-

Whole body-

Medications, physical therapy, or sometimes surgery helps reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.

Analgesic-

-Relieves pain.

Immunosuppressive drug-

-Reduces immune response.

Narcotic-

-Relieves pain, dulls the senses, and causes drowsiness. May become addictive.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-

-Relieves pain, decreases inflammation, and reduces fever.

Steroid-

-Modifies or simulates hormone effects, often to reduce inflammation or for tissue growth and repair.

Arthrodesis-

-In this procedure, the joints are fused. It reduces the OA pain but movement is difficult. This procedure is performed when arthroplasty is not possible.

Hip replacement-

-A surgery to replace a hip using an implant.

Joint repair-

-Joint surfaces are smoothed or realigned, often performed arthroscopically

Joint replacement-

-Removing a damaged or defective joint and inserting a new, functioning one in its place.

Knee replacement-

-A surgery to replace a knee using an implant.

Acupuncture-

-Insertion of needles into specific points on the body to relieve pain and treat other conditions. A form of traditional Chinese medicine.

Hydrotherapy-

-Using water to relieve pain, treat diseases, and maintain health. For example, mineral baths and hot tubs.

Massage-

-Relaxes tense muscles.

Stretching-

-Stretching exercises can improve flexibility and improve physical function.

Cold compress-

-Reduces inflammation and dulls sensation of pain.

Heating pad-

-Soothes painful muscles or joints and can help drain skin infections.

Ice packs-

-Reduces inflammation and dulls sensation of pain.

Physical exercise-

-Aerobic activity for 20-30 minutes 5 days a week improves cardiovascular health. If injured, pursuing an activity that avoids the injured muscle group or joint can help maintain physical function while recovering.

Tai chi-

Weight loss-

-Can improve cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of complications related to obesity.