Arthritis

Arthritis is a condition where the smooth layer that helps joints move easily wears away. This can make moving painful and difficult. Common signs include joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and warmth around the joint.

There are many types of arthritis. The two most common are osteoarthritis, which usually happens as people get older and often affects joints like the hips, knees, and fingers, and rheumatoid arthritis, where the body's immune system attacks the joints. Other types include gout, lupus, and septic arthritis.

Treating arthritis early can help manage symptoms. This might include resting the affected joint, applying heat or ice, losing weight, and exercising. Medicines such as ibuprofen and paracetamol can help with pain and swelling. In severe cases, surgery to replace the joint may be needed. Arthritis is very common, especially as people age, and it can make everyday tasks more difficult.

Classification

When someone says they have "arthritis," it means their joints hurt. Common types include Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis, and Gout. Joint pain can also mean other health problems, like Psoriasis or Lyme disease. Sometimes, a person might have joint pain that doesn’t fit into any specific disease, which doctors call undifferentiated arthritis.

Signs and symptoms

Pain is a common sign of arthritis. It can be mild or severe. Other signs include swelling, stiffness, redness, and aching around the joints. Some types of arthritis, like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, can also affect other parts of the body. This might make it hard to use the hand or walk, cause stiffness in joints, make someone feel very tired, lead to rashes, cause weight loss, or make joints feel tender.

Causes

Several things can cause arthritis, and it depends on the type.

Osteoarthritis happens when the smooth part in joints, called cartilage, gets damaged from old injuries or just wearing down over time. This can make the bones rub together, causing pain and stiffness.

In rheumatoid arthritis, the body’s defense system, called the immune system, mistakenly attacks the joints, making them swollen and painful.

Gout is another type of arthritis caused by too much uric acid in the blood. This can lead to sharp pain, especially in the toes, because tiny crystals form in the joints. Eating certain foods or other body factors can increase uric acid levels.

Other types of arthritis include ankylosing spondylitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and reactive arthritis, among others.

Risk factors

Some things can make it more likely that a person will develop arthritis when they get older. Not all of these things can be changed, but some can.

Having more weight than is healthy, getting hurt on a joint before, or the type of joint a person has can increase the chance of developing a type of arthritis called osteoarthritis. For another type of arthritis called inflammatory arthritis, things like being a girl, having family members with arthritis, being older, having more weight than is healthy, past joint injuries, and being around cigarette smoke can increase the chance of getting it.

Smoking has also been linked to a higher chance of developing certain types of arthritis.

Diagnosis

A health professional will diagnose arthritis by looking at you and asking questions. They may also do tests like X-rays or blood tests to learn more.

Pain can change depending on the type of arthritis. For example, with rheumatoid arthritis, pain is often worse in the morning. With osteoarthritis, pain usually starts when you are active and may become constant later.

Doctors look for important signs such as when symptoms started, which joints are affected, and whether the pain is on both sides of the body. They also check for stiffness in the morning, tenderness around joints, and any other symptoms in the body.

They may look at the affected joints, watch how you walk, and check your skin. Blood tests might include rheumatoid factor, antinuclear factor, and others.

X-rays and other imaging tests can help diagnose and track arthritis.

Osteoarthritis

Main article: Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It affects humans and animals. It can happen in big joints like the knee and hip, or small joints like the fingers. It is caused by wear and tear on the joint over time. This leads to cartilage breaking down, so bones can rub together.

At first, pain happens mostly when you are active, but later it can be present even at rest. It can make daily activities hard. Osteoarthritis usually affects older people, especially women over 65. Doctors often use X-rays to help diagnose it.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Main article: Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is when the body’s immune system attacks the joints. It often affects the fingers, wrists, knees, and elbows, and usually impacts both sides of the body. If not treated, it can cause severe changes in the joints over time. It can start at any age but often begins in people over 20. In children, it can cause a skin rash, fever, and limit daily activities. With the right treatment, many people can manage their symptoms and live better lives.

Inflammation of the lining of the joint can lead to damage. This happens through certain body signals and proteins.

Lupus

Main article: Lupus erythematosus

Lupus is a condition where the immune system attacks the body’s tissues. It can cause severe arthritis. About 90% of people with Lupus have joint problems. The fingers, wrist, and knee are often affected. Other signs include a skin rash, sensitivity to sunlight, hair loss, kidney problems, and breathing issues from lung scarring.

Gout

Main article: Gout

In the early stages of gout, usually only one joint is affected, often the big toe, knee, or fingers. During a gout flare, the joint becomes swollen, warm, red, and very painful. Treatment during a flare includes medicines to reduce inflammation. Between flares, medicines may be used to lower uric acid levels in the blood.

Gout is often linked to eating too much alcohol or certain foods. Patients are advised to eat more fiber, vegetables, and whole grains, and to limit alcohol and fatty foods.

There is also a form of gout called pseudogout, caused by calcium crystals in the joint. There are no special treatments for this, but medicines can help reduce flares.

Comparison of types

Other

Infectious arthritis is a serious form of arthritis that can happen when an infection spreads to the joints through the bloodstream. Symptoms include sudden chills, fever, and joint pain. It is caused by bacteria and must be treated quickly to prevent joint damage. Recently, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been linked to reactive arthritis.

Psoriasis can lead to psoriatic arthritis. People usually first notice skin changes, then joint pain and swelling. While the disease can go into remission, there is no cure. Treatment focuses on reducing immune system activity. In rare cases, it can cause severe damage to small joints in the hands and lead to loss of hand function.

Treatment

There is no cure for arthritis, but there are ways to help with pain and improve movement. Treatment can include physical therapy, exercise, special braces, and medicines. Sometimes, surgery to replace a joint may be needed to help a person move more easily.

Physical therapy and exercise can help people with arthritis. These activities can make joints more flexible, reduce pain, and delay the need for surgery. Doctors may also suggest special tools to help with daily tasks, making life easier for those with arthritis.

Epidemiology

Arthritis is more common in older people, but it can also affect children. It happens more often in women than in men and affects people from all backgrounds. In the United States, many adults have been diagnosed with arthritis, and this number will grow as more people get older. People who have other health issues, like heart disease or diabetes, are more likely to have arthritis.

Disability from muscle and bone disorders has increased over time, with osteoarthritis being one of the fastest-growing conditions. Information about arthritis in Africa is limited, but studies show that different types of arthritis occur there as well. For example, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and other forms have been found in various regions across the continent.

History

People have had arthritis for a very long time. Scientists have found signs of it in dinosaurs and in very old human bones. One of the earliest known cases was found in bones from about 4500 BC. Arthritis has been found in many places throughout history, including in ancient Italy and Austria.

In the 1700s, a doctor named William Musgrave wrote one of the first books about arthritis. Another doctor in France, Augustin Jacob Landré-Beauvais, was the first to describe the symptoms of a type of arthritis called rheumatoid arthritis. In the 1960s, a surgeon named John Charnley performed the first hip replacement to help treat arthritis.

Society and culture

Arthritis is a big reason why people in the United States have trouble doing everyday things. Over 20 million people with arthritis find it hard to move and do things they normally would. Because of this, many miss out on work or school and need to see a doctor often. Arthritis can make it tough to stay active, and some people might even need to stay at home. The cost of dealing with arthritis is very high.

Terminology

The word "arthritis" has two parts. "Arthr-" comes from an Ancient Greek word for "joint." The part "-itis" is a suffix. It often means swelling or redness in the body.

"Arthritides" is just the plural form of arthritis. It talks about all the different conditions like arthritis.