Disease: What is Arthritis and its types

 What is Arthritis

"Arthritis" literally means inflammation of the joints. Although inflammation of the joints is a symptom or sign rather than a direct diagnosis, the term arthritis is commonly used to refer to any disturbance affecting the members. Members areas in the body where bones meet, such as knees, wrists, fingers, toes and hips. These problems are falling apart in the broader category of rheumatic diseases.

Parts of a joint

The joints are strong and supported by soft tissues that prevent your bones from rubbing. The connective tissue called articular cartilage plays an important role. It helps your joints to move smoothly without any friction or pain.

           Some joints have a synovial membrane, a packet of fluid that softens the joints. Many joints, such as your knees, are supported by tendons and ligaments. Tendons connect muscles to your bones, while ligaments connect bones to other bones.

Types of Arthritis

1. Osteoarthritis
2. Rheumatoid Arthritis
3. Psoriatic Arthritis
4. Gout
5. Lupus   

• Osteoarthritis

More people have this condition than any other form of arthritis. "Aging" that occurs when your joints are overused. It usually occurs with age, but can also result from joint damage or obesity, which puts more pressure on your joints.

            You lose the shock absorber of your body. The cartilage, a slippery slope of the bone, gradually deteriorates. One example is what can happen to your knees when you are overweight. The extra pounds put extra pressure on the cartilage as it compresses between the bones. It is damaged and worn out, so there is not much left to prevent a member.

          Damaged cartilage makes movement painful. You may hear the sound of grinding as the hard cartilage over the bones rubs together. You may get painful spurs or bumps on the ends of the bones, especially on the fingers and toes. The joint can be inflamed, but it is less common with osteoarthritis.

Symptoms

• Deep, excruciating pain
• Wearing problems, combing your hair, holding things, bending, stabbing, or climbing stairs, depending on which members are involved.
• Morning dizziness usually lasts less than 30 minutes
• It hurts when you walk
• Strength after rest

Your joint may be:

• Warmth to the touch
• Swollen and difficult to move
• Unable to navigate full range of motion

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

RA is an autoimmune disease. That means the immune system attacks parts of the body, especially the joints. That leads to inflammation, which can cause serious joint damage if left untreated. About one in five people with rheumatoid arthritis develops lumps in their skin called rheumatoid bumps. These usually build on compressed joints, such as the ankles, elbows, or heels.

                  Doctors do not know exactly what causes RA. Some experts believe that the immune system is "confused" after being infected with a bacterium or a virus and starting to attack your joints. This war can spread to other parts of the body. Scientists speculate that two antibodies related to inflammation, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-1, initiate other components of the immune system in rheumatoid arthritis. Medications that block TNF, interleukin-1, and interleukin-6 can improve symptoms and prevent joint damage.

Symptoms

Pain, stiffness, and swelling in the hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, ankles, feet, jaw, and neck. Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects many joints.

More than one swollen joint. Usually, they are small joints in the wrists, hands, or feet.

Symmetrical pattern. If the knuckles in your left hand are burning, the knuckles in your right hand will probably be the same. After a while, you may notice many of your members feel warm or painful or swollen.

Morning cramps can take hours or a large part of the day. You may also feel tired and realize that your appetite is low and you are losing weight.

• Psoriatic Arthritis

People with this condition have acne (psoriasis) and arthritis. Psoriasis causes spotted, raised, red and white areas of inflamed skin. It usually affects the tips of the elbows and knees, the scalp, the navel, and the skin around the genitals or anus. Only about 10 to 30 percent of people with psoriasis will develop psoriatic arthritis.

       This type of arthritis usually starts between 30 and 50 years, but can start in childhood. It is very common between men and women. Dermatitis (psoriasis) usually appears first.

Symptoms

Psoriatic arthritis can cause swelling of the fingers and toes. People who have it often have tangled or discolored nails, too. For some people, only one or several members are involved. For example, you can only have one knee. Sometimes it affects the spine or just the fingers and toes.

• Gout

Accumulation of uric acid crystals in a congested area. Most of the time, your big toe or part of your foot. You usually wake up suddenly, with severe pain in your big toe after drinking at night. But drugs, depression, or some other illness may trigger the onset of gout.

      The attack will last between 3 and 10 days, even if you do not treat it. It may take months or years before you have another one, but over time, the attacks may intensify. And they can last a long time, too. If gout is not treated for a long time, it can affect your joints and kidneys.

Gout is caused by one of three factors:

• Your body produces extra uric acid.
• Your kidneys cannot process the uric acid produced by your body.
• Eat more foods that increase uric acid levels.

Symptoms

• Severe joint pain: It may be your big toe, but it may also be on the ankles, knees, elbows, wrists, or fingers.
• Discomfort: Even after the acute pain has subsided, your limb will still hurt.
• Swelling and redness: The joint will become red, swollen, and soft.
• It's hard to move: Your joint will be stiff.

• Lupus

Lupus (also called SLE or systemic lupus erythematosus) is an autoimmune disease. It can affect your joints and many parts of your body. Doctors do not know exactly what causes lupus, but there is something wrong with your immune system. 

         Instead of attacking the virus and other invaders, it begins to cause inflammation and pain throughout your body, from your joints, to your organs, to your brain. Women of childbearing age are more likely to get lupus than men. It affects African-American women more often than white women. It usually occurs between the ages of 15 and 44.

Symptoms

• Joints are sore, swollen
• Fatigue
• A headache
• Swelling of the feet, legs, hands, or near the eyes
• Outbreaks appear to be exacerbated during pregnancy and in childbirth
• Sores in the mouth
• Sensitivity to the sun
• Hair loss
• Blue or white toes or toes when exposed to cold (Raynaud's case)
• Blood disorders, such as anemia and low levels of white blood cells or platelets
• Chest pain due to inflammation of the lining of the heart or lungs