Arthritis
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Arthritis (What is Arthritis?)
Overview
The disorders and injuries of the musculoskeletal system are vast in scope. They range from those that cause the patient minor discomfort and inconvenience to those that are life-threatening. Among the more troublesome are the inflammatory conditions that affect the joints (arthritis). Although these diseases may involve many systems, very often have an arthritic component. There are more than 100 arthritic diseases. One in every seven people in the United States has some form of arthritis. One in every three families in the United Sates is somehow affected by arthritis.
Definition
Arthritis is an inflammatory condition that involves the joints of the body which could indicate a disease process or maybe due to aging.
Common Signs and Symptoms:
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Types:
Rheumatoid Arthritis – is a chronic systemic disease. The disease process, although most prominent as a non-suppurative inflammation in the diarthroidal joints, may also be manifested by lesions of the vasculature, lungs, nervous system and other major organs. The disease may shorten life expectancy by 3 to 18 years. It has a particular affinity for articular and periarticular structures of diarthroidal joints (those which possess cavity and are freely moving). The bones in this type of joint are united by a joint capsule and by ligaments and tendons.
Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (Still’s Disease) – occurs before the age of 16. Peak occurrence times are from the ages of 2 to 5 and 9 to 12 years. There may be involvement of one to many joints causing limited movement. There is generally some cervical involvement, particularly the C2 and C3. If the disease is untreated, the result will be abnormal growth and development.
Bacterial Arthritis- Is the result of invasion of the synovial membrane by microorganisms, most often gonococci, meningococci, staphylococci, coliforms, salmonellae, and Haemophilus influenzae.
Osteoarthritis- Is a deteriorating process of joint capsules and underlying bone; also known as degenerative joint disease. It can be caused by aging, chronic stress, trauma, infection, or a congenital anomaly. Primarily, the lower extremities are involved due to their weight-bearing load. Almost everyone past 40 years of age has hypertrophic changes in the joints. Although symptomatic degenerative joint condition is usually seen in the fifty to seventy year age group, it has been observed as early as 20 years of age. Primary degenerative joint disease is distributed throughout the central and peripheral joints of the body, usually affecting the joints of the hand, wrist, neck, lumbar spine, hips, knees, and ankles.
Gouty Arthritis (gout) – It is a metabolic disorder that develops as a result of lengthened hyperuricemia (elevated serum uric acid) caused by problems in synthesizing purines or by poor renal elimination of uric acid. Renal urate lithiasis (kidney stones) may result from precipitation of uric acid in the presence of a low urinary pH. Gout affects men eight to nine times more frequently than women. It can occur at any age, with the peak age of onset occurring in the fifth decade. Eighty-five percent of all persons with gout has a genetic or familial tendency to develop the disease.
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