Different Types Of Arthritis Pain

Different Types Of Arthritis Pain

Arthritis is a condition that has become more and more common with people who live in North America. In recent studies (Different Types Of Arthritis Pain), it has been shown that 350 million people worldwide suffer and have arthritis.

Almost 40 million people are affected by arthritis in the United States alone. And the numbers always seem to grow.

The main possible reason why the number of people that are affected by arthritis is so high is that the understanding of the disease of arthritis is still in the dark.

This is because researchers and doctors still do not know what causes arthritis exactly and how to cure it. (Different Types Of Arthritis Pain)

So as of right now, people can only take preventative measures to help delay the disease and help reduce symptoms. However, if you have a proper understanding of arthritis the chances of delaying the occurrence will decrease.

What is Arthritis?

Many people come across the term arthritis, but they do not exactly know the correct definition of this medical condition.

Arthritis causes aches, pains, swelling, and inflammation of the joints. However, in some cases, it can also cause complications with the immune system and with different organs.

In particular specific kinds of arthritis can affect organs which can result in concerning symptoms and complications with the function of them. (Different Types Of Arthritis Pain)

Arthritis is commonly found in people that are 65 years or older and in the United States that is almost 23% of the population that is affected by this medical condition.

The most common of all kinds of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Unfortunately, there is no cure that is found yet for arthritis. However, there are treatments that are designed for specific arthritis.

The treatments and/or preventative measures are used to reduce pain, stiffness, swelling, inflammation, and other symptoms. Treatments are also used to slow down the development of arthritis so people can try and live their normal daily routines without any restrictions.

Types of Arthritis:

The medical condition of arthritis is so complicated to understand because of how many different types of arthritis there are and because of how many subcategories there are.

It is known that there are almost 200 different kinds of arthritis and they are divided up into different categories.

Inflammatory Arthritis

Inflammatory arthritis occurs when inflammation develops in the body for no reason. Usually, inflammation in the body develops as a way to help protect bones and organs. However, with inflammatory arthritis, it does not aid in any way with repairing the body.

It can cause joints and bones to become damaged which can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling. Some different types of arthritis that are connected to inflammatory arthritis include Reactive arthritis (RA), Ankylosing Arthritis, Ankylosing spondylitis which is just a few. (Different Types Of Arthritis Pain)

Degenerative Arthritis

Degenerative arthritis is the damage of the cartilage which covers the ends of the bones for protection. In addition, it helps with making the joints glide and move easily.

However, if someone has degenerative arthritis the function of the cartilage will become thin and rough. This will make it harder for movement in the joints and in some cases the bones overgrow which can change the shape of the bones. This is most commonly found in people who have osteoarthritis.

Soft Tissue Musculoskeletal Pain

Soft tissue musculoskeletal pain is caused when muscle tissue is damaged with wear and tear of daily activity and/or exercise.

Also from injury and overuse, most commonly known as a tennis elbow. It can not only affect the tissue but can also affect the bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and nerves.

The most common type of arthritis under this umbrella is called fibromyalgia. This can cause pain in the muscles, tendons, and/or ligaments.

Back Pain

Back pain is a very common condition among people of all ages and sex. Back pain is usually linked to bones, muscles, and ligaments and how they are used and work together. In some cases, back pain can also cause spine inflammation. However, people who experience chronic back pain are often linked to arthritis.

The most common kind is osteoarthritis.

Connective Tissue Disease

Connective tissue disease is a disease that affects supports, binds connect, and/or separates body tissue and organs.

Many of these diseases including arthritis are connected to abnormal immune system activity which has inflammation in the tissues because the immune system is going against its own body.

It can consist of and be within the tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. The inflammation can occur in the skin, muscles, and/or organs. This can be extremely painful on the joints.

The most common types of arthritis that go under this category include SLE, Scleroderma, and Dermatomyositis.

Infectious Arthritis (Different Types Of Arthritis Pain)

Infectious arthritis is a kind of inflammation caused by bacteria that enters the joints. This type of arthritis usually occurs when the body has already experienced a virus somewhere else in the body.

However, if the virus is caught and treated in a timely manner a case of infectious arthritis can be cleared.

However, if it becomes chronic it will be something that you will most likely have forever. Usually, only one joint is harmed and would be found in large joints like the shoulders, hips, and knees.

Metabolic Arthritis

Metabolic arthritis usually comes in the form of gout which is a type of acute arthritis that causes pain and swelling in the joints. This occurs because some people produce too much Uric Acid. This chemical is created when the body breaks down substances called purines.

When too much of it is built up it can cause crystals to form in the joints. This can be really painful and can cause gout to form. It is commonly found in the big toe, heel, ankle, hands, wrist, or elbow. It can come and go and can even become chronic.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disorder that affects the lining of the joints which causes pain, swelling, bone erosion, and deformation of the joints.

In addition, because of the inflammation that rheumatoid arthritis causes it can affect the lining of joints and the organs. (Different Types Of Arthritis Pain)

It also compromises the immune system which makes it harder to fight off colds and/or infections. Doctors and researchers still do not fully understand the health condition of rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis that is found in people and is the most preventable as well. It occurs when cartilage begins to thin, this usually happens because of age and prior injury.

The development of osteoarthritis is a gradual process that breaks down the tissues and cartilage which can lead to stiffness and pain in the joints. It usually affects the joints in the hips, knees, hands and spine.

However, with exercise and a healthy diet, many people can prevent developing osteoarthritis in their lifetime.

Childhood Arthritis

Childhood arthritis or juvenile arthritis is a terminology used to put all kinds of children arthritis under one kind of category.

It is a disease where there is inflammation and/or swelling in children’s joints that are under the age of 16. Children who experience arthritis is usually linked to autoimmune disease, where the immune system attacks the body rather than protecting it.

Like many of the other kinds of arthritis, doctors and researchers do not exactly know why this disease occurs which is why there is no cure.

The most common types of childhood arthritis include rheumatoid arthritis, chronic arthritis, idiopathic arthritis, and systemic arthritis.

What Causes Arthritis?

Types Of Arthritis Pain

There is no one specific cause for arthritis since there are so many kinds. There could be one element that causes arthritis or more than one.

Here are some possible causes why some people have arthritis: (Different Types Of Arthritis Pain)

  • Injury
  • Abnormal metabolism
  • Inheritance
  • Infections
  • Overuse of the immune system
  • Combination of many factors
  • Some foods may cause the development process of arthritis to increase but not often
  • Not having normal amounts of cartilage because of wear and tear

Symptoms of Arthritis:

There are 5 main symptoms for arthritis include:

  1. Pain
  2. Swelling
  3. Stiffness
  4. Difficulty moving joints
  5. Redness

Diagnosis Process of Arthritis:

The diagnosis process of arthritis usually starts off with the patient’s medical history, symptoms physical examination, and x-rays. Tests are done depending on the suspected type of arthritis that someone may have.

Some of those tests include:

  • Rheumatoid factor
  • Anti-CCP antibody
  • Complete blood count (CBC)
  • C-reactive protein
  • Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
  • Joint ultrasound or MRI
  • Joint X-ray
  • Bone scan
  • Synovial fluid analysis

Treatments and Preventative Measures for Arthritis:

As discussed before there is no cure yet for people that suffer and have arthritis; however, there are treatments and preventative measures that are available to help with minimizing damage, pain, and discomfort.

Also to help improve the quality of life.

Here are some possible treatments and preventative measures that people use that have and/or suffer from arthritis:

  • Medications
  • Physical therapy
  • Non-pharmacologic therapy
  • Splints
  • Weight loss
  • Exercise ( walking, swimming, and biking)
  • Surgery

(Different Types Of Arthritis Pain)

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