A Ripple Spring 2022 article
What is arthritis?
Arthritis isn’t a single disease; the term refers to joint pain or joint disease, and there are more than 100 types of arthritis and related conditions. People of all ages live arthritis, in fact more than 600 million people have arthritis globally. It’s most common among women, and although it’s not a disease of aging, some types of arthritis occur in older people more than younger people.
Contrary to popular belief, arthritis is not a disease of the elderly; more than three in five people diagnosed with arthritis are under the age of 65.
The burden of arthritis worldwide is expected to have significant consequences in terms of health care costs and loss of productivity by patients today, and over the next 30 years.
Arthritis falls into two major groups:
Osteoarthritis- Caused by a breakdown of cartilage in joints causing bones to rub together resulting in pain, stiffness and eventual loss of use. There are some forms of osteoarthritis that appear to be genetically driven, and others that are a result of injury, overuse or advanced age.
Inflammatory (or “autoimmune) arthritis– is a general term used to describe autoimmune forms of the disease. In inflammatory arthritis, the body’s own immune system attacks healthy joints and tissues, causing inflammation and joint damage. Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis.
Other forms include ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus and many others.
Common arthritis joint symptoms include swelling, pain, stiffness and decreased range of motion. Symptoms may come and go, and can be mild, moderate or severe. They may stay about the same for years and then may progress or get worse over time. Severe arthritis can result in chronic pain, inability to do daily activities and make it difficult to walk or climb stairs.
Arthritis can cause permanent joint changes. These changes may be visible, such as knobby finger joints, but often the damage can only be seen by X-ray. Some types of arthritis also affect other body parts, like the heart, eyes, lungs, kidneys and skin.
Don’t self-diagnose
It’s not unusual to have aches and pains occasionally, but when pain doesn’t subside on its own after a day or two, interferes with everyday activities or steadily gets worse, it is time to see a doctor.
There is a lot of material available online about arthritis, but the best way to understand what type of arthritis you have and determine the best treatment for your condition, is to visit your doctor who will be able to conduct tests to determine the cause. Although arthritis cannot be cured, there are methods and medication that can assist you.
Treatment
Treatment will depend on your symptoms, your age, and your general health. It will also depend on how what type of arthritis you have, and how severe the condition is. A treatment plan is tailored to each person with his or her health care provider.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for arthritis. The goal of treatment is often to limit pain and inflammation, and help ensure joint function. Treatment plans often use both short-term and long-term methods.
Short-term treatments include medications, joint immobilisation, massage, Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and acupuncture.
Long-term treatments include disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), Corticosteroids that reduce inflammation and swelling, hyaluronic acid therapy, which is a joint fluid that appears to break down in people with osteoarthritis. It can be injected into a joint, such as the knee, to help relieve symptoms. And lastly, surgery.
Living with arthritis
Although there is no cure, it’s important to help keep joints working by reducing pain and inflammation. Work on a treatment plan with your healthcare provider that includes medicine and therapy and on lifestyle changes that can improve your quality of life.
Lifestyle changes include:
Weight loss. Extra weight puts more stress on weight-bearing joints, such as the hips and knees.
Exercise. Some exercises may help reduce joint pain and stiffness. These include swimming, walking, low-impact aerobic exercise, and range-of-motion exercises. Stretching exercises may also help keep the joints flexible.
Activity and rest. To reduce stress on your joints, switch between activity and rest. This can help protect your joints and lessen your symptoms.
Using assistive devices. Canes, crutches, and walkers can help keep stress off certain joints and improve balance.
Using adaptive equipment. Reachers and grabbers let you extend your reach and reduce straining. Dressing aids help you get dressed more easily.
Managing use of medicines. Long-term use of some anti-inflammatory medicines can lead to stomach bleeding. Work with your healthcare provider to create a plan to reduce this risk.
