Individuals who suffer from arthritis understand how challenging and unpleasant daily living can be. Many people equate arthritis with age, yet it is a disease that affects both children and adults worldwide.
Arthritis, often known as joint disease, is characterized by inflammation of one or more joints, such as the knees, knuckles, wrists, or ankles. Arthritis begins with joint inflammation and can develop into swelling, pain, and stiffness. Its treatment includes a combo of medication and exercises to help with the condition. But before the treatment comes to the diagnosis. Usually, to diagnose arthritis, your doctor may suggest you take some imaging tests like X-ray, MRI, and CT scan and will also do some physical tests by asking you to do specific movements to check for swelling. Around 350 million people suffer from arthritis globally but knowing what type of arthritis is essential. There are about 100 distinct forms of arthritis that may be identified.
Here is the most common type of arthritis pain one may suffer.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent type of arthritis, impacting millions worldwide. While osteoarthritis may affect any joint, it most often affects the knee. Usually, it affects the joints in your hands, knees, hips, and spine. Osteoarthritis, medically known as degenerative joint disease, is a kind of degenerative joint disease that is the most prevalent kind of older arthritis people are more likely to get osteoarthritis. With rare exceptions, changes in osteoarthritis usually occur gradually over time. Inflammation and joint injury cause bony changes, tendons and ligaments to degrade, and cartilage to degrade, leading to discomfort, swelling, and joint deformity.
Symptoms of Osteoarthritis.
The most common signs and symptoms that one may notice can be pain in joints, stiffness in joints, stiffness in joints, loss of flexibility, tenderness or pain when pushing your fingers on the afflicted regions, aggravation of restricted range of motion, grating, crackling, clicking or popping sounds when moving your joints bone spurs, or extra lumps of bone that are usually painless. These can differ depending on their cause.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis is a kind of autoimmune illness. That is, the immune system assaults certain body sections, particularly the joints. This causes inflammation, which can cause significant joint injury if not treated. Rheumatoid arthritis affects up to 14 million individuals worldwide. Usually, the immune system causes inflammation to defend the body from viruses, bacteria, and other invaders.
In persons with autoimmune illnesses, such as RA, inflammation becomes hyperactive. It affects healthy tissue, such as the synovium and the lining of the joints. When the inflammation subsides, the capsule around the synovium remains stretched and unable to keep the joint in place. This can make the joint unstable and shift into strange positions. A few patients develop fleshy lumps under the skin surrounding damaged joints called rheumatoid nodules. They can be painful at times but are typically not.
Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Patients with RA may not notice redness or swelling in their joints but may feel soreness and pain. Some recognizable signs of Rheumatoid arthritis can be, Joint discomfort, soreness, or stiffness that lasts at least six weeks. Morning stiffness may be for at least 30 to 40 minutes. It may damage more than one joint. Small joints (wrists, specifically in the hands and feet) are usually the first to be affected. Both of the joints are affected.
Most patients with Rheumatoid arthritis experience weariness and, in some cases, a low-grade fever. Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms may appear and go.
Gout Arthritis
Gout is an agonizing type of arthritis characterized by the formation of uric acid crystals in and around the joints. It is the most prevalent type of inflammatory arthritis. So prevalent that around 42 million people suffer from this globally. It is more frequent in men and becomes more likely as you age. Gout can be caused by excessive levels of uric acid, commonly known as urate, in the blood. Every day, our systems produce urate as a byproduct of the breakdown of purines. Purines are substances our bodies have naturally, but they are also found in some foods. Urate levels in our blood are typical and healthy. However, if levels go too high, gout may develop.
When you have gout, urate crystals can accumulate in your joints for years without you realizing it. When you have a lot of crystals in your joints, some of them will flow out from the cartilage into the area between the two bones of the joint.
Symptoms of Gout Arthritis.
A gout attack is an incident of gout. Gout episodes are excruciatingly painful and can occur unexpectedly, frequently overnight. Symptoms in the afflicted joint during a gout episode may include:
Excruciating pain in the joint
stiffness.
Stiffness.
Redness.
Swelling.
Tenderness even to a slight touch, like a piece of cloth.
Warmth, or a burning sensation.
The attack lasts 1-2 weeks.
Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis is a kind of arthritis that affects most people who already have Psoriasis, a skin ailment. It usually produces swollen, stiff, and painful joints in the afflicted joints. Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic autoimmune illness, which means that specific cells in the body attack other cells and tissues. Psoriatic arthritis most typically affects individuals between the ages of 35 and 55. However, it can occur at any age. Both genders are equally affected by psoriatic arthritis.
Psoriatic arthritis can develop simply with a family history of Psoriasis, and, less frequently, psoriatic arthritis can begin before Psoriasis emerges. Psoriatic arthritis, like Psoriasis (skin inflammation), is a chronic illness that can deteriorate with time. If the disease is severe, the joints may become permanently harmed or twisted, needing surgery. However, psoriatic arthritis can be delayed, and irreparable joint damage can be prevented or decreased if it is recognized and treated early.
Symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis.
The following are the most prevalent symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis.
Joint stiffness is typically noticeable in the morning or after prolonged inactivity, such as sitting for an extended period.
The affected joint’s range of motion is limited.
Lower back pain or stiffness.
Tenderness, discomfort, or swelling at the site where tendons and ligaments connect to bone
Papules are small, spherical patches that are elevated and occasionally scaly on the arms, legs, and chest.
Pitting of the nails
Fibromyalgia
Last but not least is fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a long-term, chronic condition. It produces widespread muscular discomfort, joint ache, and exhaustion. The pain may come and go. Although there is no clear known cause, several variables, such as stress and heredity, may predispose someone to the condition.
Although there is no cure, drugs, lifestyle modifications, and other treatments can help. Fibromyalgia patients have persistent, all-over muscle and joint discomfort. Other symptoms include excessive weariness and memory issues. There is no known cause or treatment. Most individuals see changes when they try to control stress, increase sleep, exercise, and eat healthier. Certain drugs can also help alleviate discomfort.
Symptoms of Fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia’s common symptom is widespread muscle and joint pain, exhaustion, and poor sleep. People are affected differently by the condition. You may also encounter:
Digestive issues, such as constipation and diarrhea
Migraines or headaches
Pain in the face or jaw
Memory issues
Hand or foot tingling or numbness
Depression or anxiety.