adminDr Tendai Zuze Health
ARTHRITIS inflammation is the swelling of one or more of your joints.
The main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness, which typically worsen with age. The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis which involves wear-and-tear damage to your joint’s cartilage — the hard, slick coating on the ends of bones. Enough damage can result in bone grinding directly on bone, which causes pain and restricted movement. This wear and tear can occur over many years, or it can be hastened by a joint injury or infection.
Rheumatoid arthritis involves the body’s immune system attacking the lining of the joint capsule, a tough membrane that encloses all the joint parts. This lining then becomes inflamed and swollen. The disease process can eventually destroy cartilage and bone within the joint.
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Depending on the type of arthritis you have, signs and symptoms may include pain, stiffness, swelling, redness and decreased range of motion of the affected joints.
The following factors will make you more likely to get arthritis:
Family history. Some types of arthritis run in families, so you may be more likely to develop arthritis if your parents or siblings have the disorder.
Age. The risk of many types of arthritis — including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout — increases with age.
Your sex. Women are more likely than men to develop rheumatoid arthritis, while most of the people who have gout are men.
Previous joint injury. People who have injured a joint are more likely to eventually develop arthritis in that joint.
Obesity. Carrying excess kilos puts stress on joints, particularly your knees, hips and spine. Obese people have a higher risk of developing arthritis.
The diagnosis of arthritis is made after your doctor has taken a history of your symptoms and done a physical examination of at least the affected joint for swelling, redness and range of movement among other things.
Depending on the type of arthritis suspected, some laboratory tests and imaging techniques are used to confirm the diagnosis. Tests are commonly done on blood, urine and joint fluid. Imaging techniques include X rays, CT scans and MRI scans
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Arthritis treatment focuses on relieving symptoms and improving joint function. You may need to try several different treatments, or combinations of treatments, before you determine what works best for you. The medications used to treat arthritis vary depending on the type of arthritis.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like ibuprofen, indomethacin and diclofenac, reduce both pain and inflammation. These are the mainstay of arthritis treatment but they, however, can cause stomach irritation, and some may increase your risk of heart attack or stroke.
Some are also available as creams or gels, which can be rubbed onto joints.
Physical therapy can be helpful for some types of arthritis. Exercises can improve range of motion and strengthen the muscles surrounding joints. In some cases, splints or braces may be warranted.
If conservative measures don’t help, your doctor may suggest surgery, such as:
Joint replacement. This procedure removes your damaged joint and replaces it with an artificial one. Joints most commonly replaced are hips and knees.
Joint fusion. This procedure is more often used for smaller joints, such as those in the wrist, ankle and fingers. It removes the ends of the two bones in the joint and then locks those ends together until they heal into one rigid unit.
Lifestyle and home remedies that may help improve the discomfort of arthritis include:
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Weight loss. If you’re obese, losing weight will reduce the stress on your weight-bearing joints. This may increase your mobility and limit future joint injury.
Exercise. Regular exercise can help keep your joints flexible. Swimming or water weight-bearing joints.
Heat and cold. Heating pads or ice packs may help relieve arthritis pain.
Assistive devices. Using canes, walkers, raised toilet seats and other assistive devices will help relieve the discomfort of arthritis.
Dr Zuze can be contacted at Highland Clinic on 020-66364
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