What Causes Arthritis Pain

By Roberta Smith


Arthritis is a joint disorder that causes inflammation in one or several joints. It has been found that there are more than different kinds of this disease in humans and animals. This disease is characterized by pain in the affected regions as the main feature. Arthritis pain is a serious condition that affects many people in the world, especially the elderly and people within middle ages.

Today, the number of different types of arthripide in existence exceed one hundred. Gout, osteoarthritis, septic, juvenile idiopathic, ankylosing spondylitis, and rheumatoid are the most common types. In the whole world, the most common variety of this medical condition is osteoarthritis. Arthritis can either be a primary or a secondary cause of pains in joints. When its if s secondary cause, that means that there is an underlying disease to which arthripide are secondary. Celiac disease, hepatitis, Lyme disease, sarcoidosis, hemochromatosis, wipple disease, familial Mediterranean fever, psoriasis, and systemic lupus erythematous are some of the major primary diseases in existence.

A forty five percent increase in disorders caused by musculoskeletal disorders resulted between 1990 and 2010. Osteoarthritis accounted for the highest increase in disabilities due to musculoskeletal disorders. Data collected from Africa was inconsistent and with high underestimations. However, data in other continents featured a high degree of accuracy. The increase was as a result of many factors working together.

The condition can be identified by the many symptoms that accompany it. Symptoms usually differ from one variety to another. However, pain characterizes virtually all the arthripides. The pains are characterized differently in each variety. Aching, stiffness, and swelling of joints are the other common symptoms patients experience. Other symptoms usually results if the condition is one that affects other organs.

In addition to the abovementioned symptoms, patients lose mobility due to stiffness and they often feel very fatigued. They experience pains and aches around joints, have poor sleep, and lose weight. The affected areas develop tenderness and inflammation. As advancement of the condition continues, secondary symptoms become manifest. For instance, loss of mobility causes inflexibility, reduced aerobic fitness, and weakness in muscles.

Clinical examination by a medical practitioner is how the condition is diagnosed. Blood tests and radiology may also be used together with clinical examination to diagnose the problem. Diagnosis is done depending on which variety one is suffering from. Medical practitioners strongly base on disease history for diagnosis.

Diagnostic results are needed in order to decide what treatment plan is used. A treatment plan can only be decided after the specific type of arthritis is determined. Treatment varies with the type of the disease one is suffering from. Major treatment options available include medications, orthopedic bracing, lifestyle changes, and physical therapy. Eroding forms of the disease may require joint replacement surgery to be done.

Pain is relieved by medications that reduce inflammation. The medications also minimize the speed of damage of joints. A hot or cold shower can go a long way in relieving pains in some varieties. No cure exists for Rheumatoid and osteoarthritis varieties of this condition.




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