26/05/2020
OUR TALK TODAY IS ON ARTHRITIS.
What is ARTHRITIS?
In simple terns, ARTHRITIS is the swelling and tenderness of one or more of your joints. The main symptoms of ARTHRITIS are joint pain and stiffness which typically worsens with age.
The two most common types of ARTHRITIS include OSTEOARTHRITIS and RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS while others include: ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS, GOUT, JUVENILE IDIOPATHIC, PSORIATIC, REACTIVE, SEPTIC, and THUMB ARTHRITIS.
-SYMPTOMS OF ARTHRITIS
The most common signs involves the joints. Depending on the type of ARTHRITIS, the signs and symptoms may include PAIN, STIFFNESS, SWELLING, REDNESS, and DECREASED RANGE OF MOTION.
- CAUSES OF ARTHRITIS
For the two most common ARTHRITIS which are OSTEO and RHEUMATOID, they are caused by damaged joints in different ways.
- OSTEOARTHRITIS
The mist common type of ARTHRITIS involves wear and tear damage to your joint's cartilage(the hard and slick coating on the ends of bones where they firm a joint). The cartilage cushions the ends of the bones and allows nearly frictionless joint motion. But enough damage can result in bone guiding directly on each other which causes pain and restricted movement. Thia wear and tear can occur over many years or it can be hastened by a joint injury or infection.
It also affects the entire joint, causes changes in the bones, and deterioration of the connective tissues that attaches muscle to bone and holds the joint together. It also causes inflammation of the joint lining.
- RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
In RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS, the body immune system attacks the lining of the joint capsule(a tough membrane that encloses all the joint parts). This lining(synovial membrane) becomes inflamed and swollen. The disease process can eventually destroy cartilage and bone within the joint.
- RISK FACTORS
They include:
1) Family History.
2) Age.
3) S*x.
4) Previous joint injury.
5) Obesity.