In the United States of America, arthritis is one of the common health problems and around 46 million people suffer from this medical condition. Amongst the different types, inflammatory arthritis is most common and also a painful one. There is no cure for this disease, however, it can be kept under control with proper and timely measures.
What is Inflammatory Arthritis?
The term inflammatory arthritis is used in reference to many different conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, etc. All these health problems are autoimmune diseases which result from the immune system attacking its own tissues. Exact cause of inflammatory arthritis is still unknown. Most probable causes or factors responsible in the development of inflammatory arthritis are infection, genetic make up, trauma and to some extent, the environmental conditions.
Inflammatory arthritis changes the way a person leads his life. Pain in joints limits the body movement. As the problem aggravates, organs adjoining the affected joints get damaged. If the problem of inflammatory arthritis is a severe one, life expectancy of the patient too is reduced.
Symptoms of Inflammatory Arthritis
The different inflammatory arthritis symptoms exhibited by patients suffering from inflammatory arthritis are enlisted below.
* Pain: It is an important symptom which affects patients the most. Starting with dull joint pain, it worsens further and turns into a chronic one. Over-the-counter medications can be used to relieve pain resulting from inflammatory arthritis.
* Swelling: Accumulation of fluids in the joints leads to swelling. Movement of joints is restricted due to swelling.
* Stiffness: In this problem, the ability to make movements is greatly reduced due to stiffness of joints. The stiffness in joints is at its worst in the morning hours. It takes a while to recover from this condition. One should make use of heating pads in dealing with stiffness.
Types of Inflammatory Arthritis
The common inflammatory arthritis types are discussed in the following paragraphs.
Osteoarthritis: It is one of the forms of inflammatory arthritis. In osteoarthritis, the joints of bones lose their cartilage. It exposes the adjoining bones and they rub against each other. Breakdown of the tissues of muscles and joints is responsible for osteoarthritis.
Rheumatoid Arthritis: In rheumatoid arthritis, more than one joints of the body are affected. This form of arthritis is characterized by chronic inflammation of joints. Rheumatoid arthritis being an autoimmune disease, the immune system attacks its own tissues.
Gout: In this form of arthritis, deposition of crystalline uric acid in the joints takes places. Such deposits are found in different body joints. However, the big toe is more prone to gout. Levels of uric acid in the body increase due to many reasons. Inability of the kidney to process uric acid properly, is one of the main causes of gout. Excessive alcohol consumption is also a reason behind the development of this condition.
Treatment/Management of Inflammatory Arthritis
Early diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis increases the possibility of treating this disease in a better manner. One should take enough rest and use medicines prescribed by the doctor. The Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory (NSAIDs) medications are recommended for inflammatory arthritis. Naproxen and Ibuprofen are the commonly used medications from this group. To improve the joint health, Chondroitin and Glucosamine supplements are prescribed.
The condition of inflammatory arthritis is discussed in this article by explaining symptoms, types and treatment that is needed. By following the above mentioned treatment measures, one can keep inflammatory arthritis in control.
What is Inflammatory Arthritis?
The term inflammatory arthritis is used in reference to many different conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, etc. All these health problems are autoimmune diseases which result from the immune system attacking its own tissues. Exact cause of inflammatory arthritis is still unknown. Most probable causes or factors responsible in the development of inflammatory arthritis are infection, genetic make up, trauma and to some extent, the environmental conditions.
Inflammatory arthritis changes the way a person leads his life. Pain in joints limits the body movement. As the problem aggravates, organs adjoining the affected joints get damaged. If the problem of inflammatory arthritis is a severe one, life expectancy of the patient too is reduced.
Symptoms of Inflammatory Arthritis
The different inflammatory arthritis symptoms exhibited by patients suffering from inflammatory arthritis are enlisted below.
* Pain: It is an important symptom which affects patients the most. Starting with dull joint pain, it worsens further and turns into a chronic one. Over-the-counter medications can be used to relieve pain resulting from inflammatory arthritis.
* Swelling: Accumulation of fluids in the joints leads to swelling. Movement of joints is restricted due to swelling.
* Stiffness: In this problem, the ability to make movements is greatly reduced due to stiffness of joints. The stiffness in joints is at its worst in the morning hours. It takes a while to recover from this condition. One should make use of heating pads in dealing with stiffness.
Types of Inflammatory Arthritis
The common inflammatory arthritis types are discussed in the following paragraphs.
Osteoarthritis: It is one of the forms of inflammatory arthritis. In osteoarthritis, the joints of bones lose their cartilage. It exposes the adjoining bones and they rub against each other. Breakdown of the tissues of muscles and joints is responsible for osteoarthritis.
Rheumatoid Arthritis: In rheumatoid arthritis, more than one joints of the body are affected. This form of arthritis is characterized by chronic inflammation of joints. Rheumatoid arthritis being an autoimmune disease, the immune system attacks its own tissues.
Gout: In this form of arthritis, deposition of crystalline uric acid in the joints takes places. Such deposits are found in different body joints. However, the big toe is more prone to gout. Levels of uric acid in the body increase due to many reasons. Inability of the kidney to process uric acid properly, is one of the main causes of gout. Excessive alcohol consumption is also a reason behind the development of this condition.
Treatment/Management of Inflammatory Arthritis
Early diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis increases the possibility of treating this disease in a better manner. One should take enough rest and use medicines prescribed by the doctor. The Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory (NSAIDs) medications are recommended for inflammatory arthritis. Naproxen and Ibuprofen are the commonly used medications from this group. To improve the joint health, Chondroitin and Glucosamine supplements are prescribed.
The condition of inflammatory arthritis is discussed in this article by explaining symptoms, types and treatment that is needed. By following the above mentioned treatment measures, one can keep inflammatory arthritis in control.
No comments:
Post a Comment