Most Common Types Of Arthritis
- What is Arthritis?
- Arthritis Risk Factors
- Most common types of arthritis
Arthritis is one of the most prevalent diseases in the United States and is the second only to heart disease as a cause of work disability.
The word arthritis is used to describe rheumatic diseases and conditions that affect joints, the tissues which surround the joint and other connective tissue. The pattern, severity and location of symptoms can vary depending on the specific form of the disease.
Arthritis symptoms usually include joint pain, inflammation and limited movement of joints. When a joint is inflamed it may be swollen, tender, warm to the touch or red. Arthritis can results in a change of shape and alignment in the joints.
Arthritis comprises over 100 different diseases and conditions. The most common forms of arthritis in the Unites States are osteoarthritis, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia.
- Age: The risk of developing arthritis increases with age. Cartilage - the smooth covering over bones in the joints - becomes more fragile with age and has less of a capacity to repair itself.
- Gender: Most types of arthritis are more common in women, accounting for 60% of all cases. Gout is more common in men.
- Genetics: Exactly how much genetics contributes to the
cause of arthritis is not well understood. Genes have been identified
that are associated with a higher risk of certain types of arthritis,
such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematous (SLE).
- Overweight and obesity: Because joint damage is partly
dependent on the load the joint has to support, excess body weight can
lead to arthritis. This is especially true of the hips and knees that
can be worn quickly in heavier patients.
- Joint injuries: Joint damage can contribute to the development of osteoarthritis of that joint.
- Infection: Many microbial agents can infect joints and potentially cause the development of various forms of arthritis.
- Occupation: Workers in certain occupations seem to have
a higher risk of developing arthritis than other jobs. These are primarily
high demand jobs such as assembly line workers and heavy construction.
Some specific occupations involving repetitive knee bending are associated
with osteoarthritis of the knee.
- High-level sports. It is difficult to determine how much sports participation contributes to development of arthritis. Sports participation can lead to joint injury and subsequent arthritis. However, the benefits of activity likely outweigh any risk of arthritis.
Osteoarthritis (also known as degenerative joint disease) is the most common type of arthritis, affecting around 5-10% of the total population, particularly women. Osteoarthritis results from the wear and tear of life. It develops when articular cartilage starts to break down. The pressure of gravity causes physical damage to the joints and surrounding tissues, leading to pain, stiffness, tenderness, swelling, decreased function, possibly with fatigue, reduction in motor skills, and deformities.
Initially, osteoarthritis is non-inflammatory and its onset is subtle and gradual, usually involving one or only a few joints. Weight-bearing joints (such as knees, hips, lower spine, neck and hands) are most frequently affected by osteoarthritis. All other joints may also be affected, especially if they are used extensively in work or sports, or if they have been damaged from fractures or other injuries.
Risk factors for development of osteoarthritis include: being overweight, aging, hereditary factors, chronic stress across joints or joint trauma (such as in sports injuries), other metabolic or inflammatory disorders.
People with osteoarthritis often feel pain and stiffness in the joints upon rising in the morning, but feel better after moving around. Physicians usually diagnose osteoarthritis based on physical examination and x-rays.
More information about Osteoarthritis:
- Osteoarthritis causes and risk factors
- Medications used to treat Osteoarthritis
- Natural Osteoarthritis treatment alternative: Glucosamine vs. NSAIDs
Rheumatoid arthritis is the second most common form of arthritis. It affects about 2-3% of the population, with greater incidence in women. It is a potentially disabling and progressive disease, with onset most likely between 25-50 at a time when people are active in the workplace or family care roles.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the body's own immune system mistakenly attacks the synovium (cell lining inside the joint). The synovial membrane is thickened and an over-production of synovial (joint) fluid occurs. As the process continues, the joints become deformed from damage to the cartilage and other soft tissue. Scientists still don't know exactly what causes the immune system to turn against itself in rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis commonly occurs in joints in the hands and feet. Larger joints such as hips, knees, and elbows also may be involved. Rheumatoid arthritis generally occurs in a symmetrical pattern, meaning that if one knee or hand is involved, the other one also is.
There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, but new drugs are increasingly available to treat the disease. In addition to medications and surgery, good self-management, including exercise, are known to reduce pain and disability.
Gout is one of the most painful rheumatic diseases. It accounts for approximately 5 percent of all cases of arthritis. Gout affects mostly men.
Gout results from deposits of needle-like crystals of uric acid in connective tissue or in the joint space between two bones. Uric acid is a by-product of the breakdown of the purines in the body. Deposition of uric acid crystals in tissues and fluids is caused by an overproduction or under excretion of uric acid.
The symptoms of gout are almost always acute, occurring suddenly (often at night) and without warning. Gout is characterised by severe acute attacks of joint pain and swelling, which typically affect joints such as the big toe, the ankle, knee and elbow. An excess of urates can also cause kidney damage, including the formation of stones.
Gout almost always can be completely controlled with medication and changes in diet.
Fibromyalgia is a syndrome rather than a disease. Syndrome is a collection of signs, symptoms, and medical problems that tend to occur together but are not related to a specific, identifiable cause.
Fibromyalgia is predominately characterized by pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons, fatigue, poor sleep. Although fibromyalgia is often considered an arthritis-related condition, it is not truly a form of arthritis because it does not cause inflammation or damage to the joints, muscles, or other tissues. Like arthritis, however, fibromyalgia can cause significant pain and fatigue, and it can interfere with a person's ability to carry on daily activities. Fibromyalgia is considered a rheumatic condition.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)