Arthritis

What is Arthritis?

The word arthritis is used to describe pain, swelling and stiffness in a joint or joints. Arthritis isn’t a single condition, and there are several different types with different causes and treatment methods.

It may be difficult to say what has caused your arthritis. There are several factors that can increase the risk of each type of arthritis. It could be that the genes you inherited from your parents or grandparents made you more likely to get arthritis.

 

Having arthritis can make life difficult by causing pain and making it difficult to move around. A person’s arthritis symptoms can vary from week to week, and even from day to day. Many types, such as osteoarthritis(OA) and rheumatoid arthritis, are long-term conditions.

What Causes Arthritis?

  • wear and tear of a joint from overuse
  • age (OA is most common in adults over age 50)
  • injuries
  • obesity
  • autoimmune disorders
  • genes or family history
  • muscle weakness

How is arthritis diagnosed?

  • Seeing your primary care physician is a good first step if you’re unsure who to see for an arthritis diagnosis. They will perform a physical exam to check for fluid around the joints, warm or red joints, and document the range of motion in the joints. Your doctor can refer you to a specialist if needed.
  • If you’re experiencing severe symptoms, you may choose to schedule an appointment with a rheumatologist first. This may lead to a faster diagnosis and treatment.
  • Documenting inflammation levels in your blood and aspirating and analyzing joint fluids, if present, can help your doctor determine what kind of arthritis you have.
  • Blood tests that check for specific types of antibodies like anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP), rheumatoid factor (RF) and antinuclear antibody (ANA) are also common diagnostic tests.
  • Doctors commonly use imaging scans such as X-ray, MRI, and CT scans to produce an image of your bones and cartilage. This helps them rule out other causes of your symptoms, such as bone spurs.

How is Arthritis treated?

The main goal of treatment is to reduce the amount of pain you’re experiencing and prevent additional damage to the joints. You’ll learn what works best for you in terms of managing pain.

 

In general, treatment for arthritis involves –

  • medications and supplements
  • physical therapy
  • occupational therapy
  • nutrient-rich diet
  • regular exercise
  • weight loss, if needed
  • heat and cold compresses
  • mobility assistance devices, such as canes or walkers

Improving your joint function is also important. Your doctor may prescribe a combination of treatment methods to achieve the best results.