Orthopaedics - Arthritis

Arthritis

Arthritis is described as the swelling and inflammation of your joints. Age, wear and tear and infection to your joints are some of the factors that cause arthritis. There are several types of treatment methods. They include pain medications, physical therapy, or joint replacement surgery. 

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis is defined as the swelling and inflammation of your joints. More than 100 types of arthritis can affect your joints, cartilage, and sometimes, your skin. The most common types of arthritis are Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis. 

Types of Arthritis

Today, there are more than 100 types of arthritis. The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout.

• Osteoarthritis - The slippery, hard tissue found at the end of your bones is called cartilage. When the cartilage starts to wear away, your bones rub against each other, causing immense pain and discomfort. 
• Rheumatoid Arthritis - This is where your body attacks the tissues of your own body, which causes damage to the surface of your joint and the bones. It causes a lot of pain, swelling in your knees, joints, and fingers. 
• Gout - This is a type of arthritis that develops due to an excess of uric acid present in your body. It results in crystal deposits on your joints and lumps under your skin which is called tophi. 
• Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis - This type of arthritis affects children. The symptoms include fatigue, inflammation of joints, rashes around the joint area, stiffness, fever. 

Symptoms of Arthritis

Keep a lookout for these symptoms of arthritis. These include: 

• Swelling of your joints
• Stiffness
• Pain in your joints
• Decreased mobility
• Redness of the skin around the joints
• Soreness

What Causes Arthritis?

Arthritis is caused due to the wear and tear of your joints and cartilage, old age, infection of your joint, and injury to your cartilage that may cause the cartilage to break down. 

When Should You See a Doctor

It is time to go and see your doctor if you struggle with your tasks every day, have problems moving around, pain in your joints, redness around your joints, swelling of your joints, and soreness. 

You can request an appointment at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Chembur, Mumbai.

Call 1860 500 2244 to book an appointment.

Risk Factors Associated with Arthritis

Some factors might make you more vulnerable to developing arthritis. They are: 

• Family history of Arthritis - If your parents or siblings have arthritis, the chances of developing arthritis are high.
• Old age - The older you get, the risk of developing osteoarthritis and gout becomes higher.
• Old injury - If you have hurt your joint before an accident or while playing a sport, it makes you more vulnerable to developing arthritis.
• Being overweight - The extra kilos in the body might put excess pressure on the joints and bones, which increases the risk of getting arthritis. 

Treatment of Arthritis

There are a few methods of treating arthritis. They are:

• Medications - Your doctor might prescribe you a set of medications. They include pain medication, medications to help reduce the inflammation in your joints, and creams that block the pain signals. 
• Surgery - If medications do not work and there is too much wear and tear in your joints, the doctor might recommend you undergo joint replacement surgery. In this surgery, the doctor replaces the joint with a metal one. 
• Physical therapy - Doctors would recommend physical therapy where exercises are given to strengthen your joints. 

You can request an appointment at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Chembur, Mumbai.

Call 1860 500 2244 to book an appointment.

Conclusion

Arthritis is described as the swelling and inflammation of your joints and cartilage. Age, wear and tear, family history of arthritis, and infection to your joints are some of the factors that cause arthritis.  

Symptoms of arthritis include stiffness, inflammation of your joints, soreness, and pain. There are several types of treatment methods. They include pain medications, physical therapy, or joint replacement surgery.