| ARTHRITIS - WHAT IS IT? |
Arthritis is not a single disease but a term used to describe joint ailments caused by inflammation as well as degeneration. Arthritis can have many causes and there are over 100 kinds of arthritis. Some types of arthritis cause aches and pains near and around the joints, but not in the joints themselves. Sometimes arthritis affects the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other parts of the body. Certain forms of arthritis can cause back pain.
Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease, is one of the most common disorders in the world, and affects almost 16 million Americans. This type of non-inflammatory arthritis breaks down the cartilage that cushions the joints in the body. Persons with osteoarthritis may experience pain, swelling and loss of flexibility in their joints, back pain, and may develop bony lumps, called Heberden's nodes, at the joint of the fingers nearest the fingertip.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that affects the entire body, and causes pain, stiffness, warmth, redness and swelling in the joints. It is a chronic and progressive disease. This type of inflammatory arthritis is the most debilitating form. Rheumatoid arthritis can also affect other parts of the body, including the muscles, lungs, heart, skin, blood vessels, nerves and eyes. In its most serious form, rheumatoid arthritis causes painful joint damage, but in less serious cases, the pain is milder, and less damage occurs. About 2 million people in the United States have rheumatoid arthritis.
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is similar to rheumatoid arthritis, but differs in that it occurs in children, often leading to impaired growth and development. Symptoms include swelling and stiffness in one or more joints, fever and skin rash, fatigue and irritability, and inflammation of the eye. As with rheumatoid arthritis, there is a risk of permanent joint damage from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis resulting in limitation of movement and range of motion.
Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of arthritis that is usually inherited, and is most common in men ages 20 to 40. It affects the joints of the body's trunk, including the hips, shoulders and ribs, and especially the back and neck. The most common early symptoms are pain and stiffness in the hip and low back, and in advanced stages, the back becomes stiff and inflexible, and the vertebrae fuse.
Other types of arthritis include polymyalgia rheumatica, Reiter's syndrome, infectious arthritis, and gout.
|
| Copyright (c) 1994 - 97. HealthLine Systems, Inc. Confidential and Proprietary Information.This information may not be disclosed without prior written authorization. |
|
Print View