SYMPTOMS OF ARTHRITIS
Arthritis is a common chronic illness in with nearly 50 million adults in the United States being diagnosed with some form of the disease. Arthritis is characterized by the inflammation of the joints and the tissues connecting and surrounding joints. Arthritis affects men women and children, with age not being a determining factor for the disease onset. Rheumatoid arthritis can start developing and exhibiting signs and symptoms in individuals in their 20s and half of all arthritic conditions are diagnosed in patients under the age of 65, with women being diagnosed at a higher rate than men. There over 100 different types of arthritis. The most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis and other rheumatic diseases such as gout, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and fibromyalgia.
Signs and symptoms of arthritis can include pain in joints, known as arthralgia, stiffness, limited movement of joints, often times accompanied with swelling, redness and joints that are warm to touch. Other signs reported by arthritis sufferers include a grating or grinding sensation and limited range of motion. Arthritic disease can be rheumatic in nature thus having major affects on other organs within the body in addition to localized joint pain. The involvement of major organs can result in additional symptoms such as fever, weight loss, fatigue, swollen glands and lymph nodes, as well as kidney, lung and heart abnormalities. The symptoms of arthritis vary from individual so the cause of arthritis and location within the body must be taken into account before a treatment can be prescribed. Arthritics can result from previous injuries, metabolic abnormalities, hereditary factors, as the result of bacterial and viral infections, and autoimmunity attacks such as rheumatoid arthritis.
The two most common forms; osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are a major cause of disability within the United States. Risk factors associated with osteoarthritis include repetitive over use of a joint, family history, being overweight or obese causing strain and wearing a way of cartilage, and ill-treated or improperly healed injuries. It is estimated that 27 million adults were doctor diagnosed with the disease in 2005. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease which is the misdirected attack of an individual's immune system against itself. The white blood cells of the immune system attack the lining of the joints causing thickening of joint lining and a buildup of excess protein within joints. Rheumatoid arthritis can cause irreversible damage to cartilage, bone tendons, and ligaments and progressing to total joint destruction. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease with symptoms affecting the eyes and blood vessels also firm bumps known as rheumatoid nodules often appear on the arms and elbows of an affected individual.