Throughout December, arthritis will be our featured medical condition of the month. Although fairly common in its occurrence – with more than 50 million Americans experiencing symptoms – there are more than 100 different conditions that can be classified as arthritis.
With so many different kinds, it would take a book to explain all of the variations. Instead, we’ll be focusing on 2 of the most common types of arthritis this week – osteoarthritis and rheumatic.
What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is the most common arthritis. Currently, nearly 33 million Americans have osteoarthritis. Most often, it affects weight-bearing joints like the hips or knees.
Those who have osteoarthritis have damage to their joint cartilage – the hard, slick coating at the ends of bones. This cushion is supposed to protect the ends of the bones from rubbing together.
But over time or from repetitive motion – or from disease, injury, infection or being overweight – the cartilage wears down and the bones start to rub together. This is from where the pain originates.
Besides the pain, those with osteoarthritis often hear a grating sound as the bones rub together. That is because the cartilage is so damaged, it’s barely covering the ends of the bones.
Unfortunately, cartilage can’t grow back. Once it’s gone, the only way to renew it is by replacing it through surgery.
What is rheumatic arthritis?
Still considered arthritis, but a very different form, rheumatic arthritis is caused by inflammation and affects more than 1.5 million Americans.
Not caused by physical damage to the joints or cartilage, rheumatic arthritis is an autoimmune disease – when the immune system attacks another part of the body. Experts believe that the body gets confused after trying to fight a virus, then turns on the joints which in the end causes the inflammation.
This chronic inflammation of the joints causes damage and deformities in the joints. People with rheumatic arthritis often develop rheumatic nodules over their knuckles, elbows or heels, which cause them a great deal of pain
Whereas osteoarthritis can affect just one knee joint or a hip, rheumatic arthritis occurs in a symmetrical pattern. Such as, if the elbow on the left arm is affected, the condition will also occur on the right arm.
Those with rheumatic arthritis experience warmness in the joint and have trouble opening a jar, driving a car or even walking. Even worse, rheumatic arthritis can lead to debilitating fatigue, permanently affecting a person’s ability to work or function – especially if it settles in the organ systems of the body.
Next edition, we’ll discover some of the various types of symptoms that might be a sign that you could be developing a common form of arthritis.
Related Articles
Monthly Series – All About Arthritis Part 1
Monthly Series – All About Arthritis Part 3 – Symptoms of Arthritis
Monthly Series – All About Arthritis Part 4 – Keeping Joints Healthy
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