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What is Arthritis ?Arthritis is a disease that causes pain, stiffness, inflammation, and damage to joint cartilage. Joint Cartilage is flexible tissue that covers the ends of bones, enabling them to move against each another. When Arthritis causes damage to joint cartilage, then joint weakness, instability, and deformities can result which interfere with even the most basic daily tasks, such as walking, driving a car, and preparing food.
Arthritis is often referred to as a single disease, but it is a term that is used to
describe more than 100 medical conditions that affect joints where two or more bones meet.
A widely held belief is that Arthritis is a natural or normal occurrence as a person ages. That is, Arthritis is a normal consequence of growing old. However, Arthritis is not a natural part of ageing at all. In addition, approximately 60 percent of all people suffering from Arthritis are younger than retirement age.
In western countries, where many populations are ageing, the percentage of people with arthritis is increasing, and current estimates indicate that 20 percent of people could suffer from some form of arthritis by 2020.
Although Arthritis is not yet curable, the condition is usually manageable, and various research indicates that early intervention can delay the onset of the disease. However, Arthritis often impacts on the sufferer's quality of life and causes varying degrees of discomfort and pain.
While there are more than 100 distinct forms of Arthritis, the most common forms include:
- Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)
- Gout
- Juvenile Arthritis
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Scleroderma
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (often simply called Lupus)
In fact, more than 95 per cent of all Arthritis cases are Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Gout.
Out of the most common forms of Arthritis (listed above), the following are auto-immune disease related:
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Scleroderma
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (often simply called Lupus)
Which means that a sufferer's own immune system attacks their own body tissues, causing the symptoms. That is, the person's own immune system turns against parts of the body that it is designed to protect, causing inflammation and damage to various body tissues.
Each of the most common forms of Arthritis (listed above) is discussed below, along with the following details for each disease:
- Symptoms
- Risk Factors
- Causes
- Diagnosis
- Complications / Issues
- Treatment
- Prevention
A Brief History of Arthritis
Arthritis has been around for millennia, and it is not solely a human condition. For instance, in dinosaur's ankle fossils, evidence of Osteoarthritis has been discovered, and the first known occurrences of arthritis in humans date back at least as...
Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)
Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is a relatively uncommon form of Arthritis that usually affects the spine, often causing severe backache and stiffness, but can also affect hips, shoulders, and the sacroiliac joint that attaches the spine to the...
Arthritis Statistics
- Arthritis is a major cause of disability and pain. - There is currently no cure for Arthritis, but the symptoms can be managed and treated. - Most forms of Arthritis are thought to be a reaction of the body immune system against its own joint...
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common types of Arthritis. Osteoarthritis causes a breakdown in the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones where they meet to form a joint, causing potentially debilitating pain. OA usually occurs in the...
Arthritis Dietary Guidelines
Health and nutrition experts recommend the following eating and dietary practices for all people aged 2 years and older: · Eat a variety of foods to get the energy (calories), protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber you need for good health. ...
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