ARTHRITIS(INFLAMMATION OF A JOINT) IS A ILLNESS THAT CAN CAUSE PAIN AND SWELLING IN YOUR JOINTS SUCH AS HANDS, KNEES, HIPS, ETC. JOINTS ARE PLACES WHERE TWO BONES MEET SUCH AS YOUR ELBOW OR KNEE. SOME ARTHRITIS CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS IN OTHER ORGANS SUCH AS EYES, CHEST, ALSO SKIN. ARTHRITIS CAN BE PAINFUL AT TIMES CAN BE SEVERE PAIN ALSO. TYPES OF ARTHRITIS ARE:
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS- MOST COMMON SERIOUS INFLAMMATORY FORM OF ARTHRITIS. IT AFFECTS JOINTS, BONES, AND ORGANS LIKE HANDS AND FEET. YOU MAY FEEL SICK OR TIRED, OR MAY HAVE FEVER. THIS TYPE CAN MAKE IT HARD TO HOLD A PENCIL. IT CAN DO DAMAGE IT'S FIRST YEAR. EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND AGGRESSIVE THERAPY IS CRITICAL.
OSTEOARTHRITIS- MOST COMMON ALSO. THIS FORM USUALLY COMES WITH AGE AND MOST OFTEN AFFECTS THE FINGERS, KNEES, HIPS, SPINE. AT TIMES THIS FOLLOWS AN INJURY TO A JOINT. EX) A YOUNG MAN MIGHT HURT HIS KNEE BADLY PLAYING FOOTBALL, THEN YEARS LATER AFTER KNEE IS HEELED HE MIGHT GET ARTHRITIS IN HIS KNEE JOINT.
PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS- IS A SERIOUS INFLAMMATORY FORM THAT IS OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH PSORIASIS. BECAUSE IT MAY BEGIN AND PROGRESS INSIDIOUSLY, IT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS PROBLEMS.
POLYMYALGIA RHEUMATICA- OCCURS IN PEOPLE AFTER AGE 50. HAS SEVERE STIFFNESS AND ACHING IN NECK, SHOULDERS, HIPS. BECAUSE ITS VERY TREATABLE ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS IS NEEDED BECAUSE SO MANY CONDITIONS LOOK LIKE IT. AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS IS NOT ALWAYS EASY.
ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS- AFFECTS SPINE AND THE SACROILIAC JOINTS. SINCE IT OFTEN PRESENTS WITH LOW BACK PAIN IT IS OFTEN MISDIAGNOSED. ITS VERY TREATABLE(ALSO ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS).
REACTIVE ARTHRITIS- IT COMES ON AFTER INFECTIONS. COMMON TYPES OF INFECTIONS IS INTESTINAL AND GENITOURINARY. YOUNG ADULTS ARE OFTEN AFFECTED.
GOUT- IS DUE TO DEPOSITION OF MONOSODIUM URATE(MSU) CRYSTALS. (CRYSTALS BUILD UP IN JOINTS) USUALLY AFFECTS THE BIG TOE. KIDNEYS ARE A BIG TARGET OF THIS DISEASE. DIETARY CHANGES AND MEDICINES ARE VERY AFFECTIVE TREATING THIS.
PSEUDOGOUT- ALSO DUE TO CRYSTALS (DEPOSITS OF CALCIUM PYROPHOSPHATE OR HYDROXYAPATITE IN MOST INSTANCES). THIS TYPE MAY MIMIC GOUT OR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. IT MAY COEXIST WITH OTHER TYPES MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE.
SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS- CAPABLE IN AFFECTING MANY INTERNAL ORGANS SYSTEMS. OFTEN AFFECTS WOMEN IN THE CHILD-BEARING YEARS. THIS DISORDER IS LIFE THREATNEING.
POLYMYOSITIS- THIS INFLAMMATORY FORM OF MUSCLE DISEASE IS OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH ARTHRITIS. BECAUSE ITS A SYSTEMIC CONDITION THAT AFFECTS ALL MUSCLES-INCLUDING THOSE THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FUNCTIONING OF THE HEART, LUNGS, ETC.
FIBROMYALGIA- IS A SOFT TISSUE FORM OF ARTHRITIS THAT IS DUE TO DEFECTIVE NEUROTRANSMITTER FUNCTION IN THE BRAIN. BECAUSE THOSE NEUROTRANSMITTERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY SENSORY FUNCTIONS, PATIENTS WITH FIBROMYALGIA PRESENT BIZARRE SYMTOMS.
LYME DISEASE- OCCURS AS A RESULT OF INFECTION WITH BORRELIA BURGDORFERI. THE ORGANISM IS TRANSMITTED BY A DEER TICK BITE.
JUVENILE ARTHRITIS- AFFECTS YOUNG CHILDREN
LUPUS- BODY'S DEFENSE SYSTEM CAN HARM JOINTS, HEART, SKIN. KIDNEY, AND OTHER ORGANS.
VIRAL HEPATITIS- AN INFECTION OF THE LIVRE CAN CAUSE ARTHRITIS.
