ARTHRITIS

Arthritis refers to more than a hundred different conditions characterized by pain in the ligaments, joints, tendons, bones, or other elements.

Some forms of Arthritis are also characterized by inflammation in the joints. Inflammation is the body's natural reaction to irritated or infected tissue. It can cause swelling, pain, and redness to the affected area of the body.

In India, 17% of the elderly population suffers from osteoarthritis.

CAUSES

Arthritis is a chronic disease that affects people who have it continuously, permanently, or recurrently for periods ranging from several months to a lifetime. The primary reasons behind Arthritis are infection, injury, or simple wear and tear. Sometimes there can be absolutely no reason to explain the symptoms.

TYPES OF ARTHRITIS:

Arthritic diseases and conditions fall into two broad categories.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms of Arthritis. It affects more India’s than all other types of Arthritis combined. Osteoarthritis is explained as the body's inability to repair damaged joint tissue. While joint damage can occur due to deterioration associated with aging, it can also result from injury.

Osteoarthritis leads to the deterioration of cartilage (the durable elastic material that covers and protects the ends of bones). This ends in bones rubbing against each other, which causes pain, stiffness, swelling, and reduced range of motion. The body joints most often affected by osteoarthritis are the knees and hips, as well as the joints of the hands and the spine.

Many factors contribute to osteoarthritis, such as age, obesity, gender, profession, participation in certain sports, joint injuries, or operations suffered, and genetics.

Inflammatory Arthritis

Inflammatory Arthritis (IA) is distinguished from osteoarthritis because of cause inflammation in the joints, rather than wear and tear of cartilage, is the source of joint damage. Most forms of IA are also a type of autoimmune disease, where the immune system - the body's defence system against infections and other invaders - mistakenly attacks healthy tissue.

The inflammation associated with these diseases can cause pain, stiffness, restricted mobility, fatigue, and damage to joints and other tissues. If not detected and treated quickly, these diseases tend to progress faster and more aggressively than osteoarthritis.

Some forms of IA are considered systemic illnesses because they can affect the whole body.

Septic Arthritis

Septic arthritis is a joint infection that progresses over a few hours or days. The disease develops in the synovial or periarticular tissues and is usually of bacterial origin; in young adults, it is often Neisseria gonorrhoeae. However, non-gonococcal bacterial infections can also be involved, quickly destroying joint structures. Symptoms are rapid-onset pain, intra-articular effusion, and reduced active and passive mobility, usually affecting a single joint. Diagnosis requires analysis of the synovial fluid with culture. Treatment consists of IV antibiotics and drainage of pus from the joints.

Septic Arthritis Symptoms

In a few hours to a few days, patients with septic arthritis see moderate to severe joint pain, heat, tenderness, effusion, limitation of active and passive movement, and sometimes local redness. The associated general symptoms may be minimal or absent. In infants and children, septic arthritis may be manifested by discomfort or inhibition of the use of a limb (pseudo-paralysis), irritability, eating disorders, and high, or moderate, or absent fever.

Are you living with Arthritis ?

Symptoms of Arthritis ranges from mild to severe. Most people with Arthritis have to deal with chronic pain, fatigue, restricted mobility, low mood, and other symptoms that degrade their quality of life.

Arthritis threatens millions of Indians' ability to enjoy the freedom of movement, to work productively, to find restful sleep, and to enjoy an existence free from unnecessary pain.