Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis
The most prevalent type of arthritis is called osteoarthritis. It is a result of the breakdown of the tough, elastic cartilage that acts as a protection for the ends of bones in their joints. As the cartilage breaks down some pieces can break off and cause further pain and inflammation in the joint. At times spurs may develop or the cartilage breaks down completely and the ends of the bones will painfully rub together. It affects men and women equally and although it can occur at any time during life it is most often associated with individuals in their middle age.
Osteoarthritis can occur in any joint such as the hands but usually weight bearing joints suffer the most frequently - such as the hips, knees and spine. As it becomes more difficult to use these joints extenuating problems can develop as the muscles surrounding them go unused for lengths of time and begin to weaken.
With this particular type of arthritis the pain can develop slowly and can involve some pain, swelling and stiffness surrounding a joint that lingers on for more than two weeks at a time. Heredity can play a role in who may be prone to osteoarthritis but excess weight can accelerate matters as more stress is put on joints. Other factors include injuries or overuse of joints that can damage the cartilage
Rheumatoid Arthritis also affects a large number of the population. It is an autoimmune disease, which indicates that the body’s immune system is attacking other parts of the body. It is also demonstrated by pain, swelling and heat around the affected joint. Because it is autoimmune based it can affect other internal organs as well, such as the heart and lungs. It seems to occur mainly in the hands and feet but can be found in other joints.
The inflammation of this type of arthritis can be painful and if left untreated may cause permanent damage. However, even when the pain is not severe there can be some initial joint damage that may only show up through x-rays. Studies have shown that usually the most amount of damage or deformity to joints occurs during the first few years after the onset of the disease. People with severe Rheumatoid Arthritis can have trouble using their hands to do simple tasks and may have difficulty even walking. It has been shown to affect women three times more often that men and can occur in young individuals as well as older ones.
As with Osteoarthritis the indications will include inflammation and joint pain. But Rheumatoid Arthritis can include a variety of other symptoms such as weakness, fever and weight loss. It can begin with a flu like appearance. And each individual’s experience can vary over time with the disease possibly going through different remissions.
Rheumatoid Arthritis also seems to follow a symmetrical pattern - where if one hand is affected so will the other one be. As a distinguishing characteristic it does not seem to affect the joints nearest the fingernails although the rest of the hands and wrists may suffer. It can strike any joint but does not seem to affect the spine. And it’s inflammation can erupt in other body organs and tissues.
It has been difficult for researchers to understand the cause and variances of this disease. Ongoing studies are trying to determine any markers in the blood that may prove to be indicators of genetic probability. As with all types of arthritis the medical community hopes to find not only the causes but a way to repair and rebuild lost joint tissue and thus be able to give relief to millions of sufferers.
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