Arthritis refers to inflammation of a joint or joints with accompanying symptoms like pain, tenderness, and swelling. Arthritis comprises more than 100 types of diseases that affect the joint or joints. It also involves the tendons and ligaments surrounding the joint and symptoms may occur suddenly or gradually over some time. You can consult an orthopedic doctor in lahore if you have arthritis.
Types of Arthritis
The most common type of arthritis is Osteoarthritis which causes the wear and tear of joints, especially in the hands, knees, and hips. This mainly occurs in adults over the age of 50 in males and 40 in females. Other types of arthritis are:
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Gout
- Psoriatic Arthritis
- Infectious Arthritis
Causes of Arthritis
The causes of arthritis depend on the type of arthritis. For instance, the main cause of osteoarthritis is wear and tear that occurs by using the joints over the years. Hence, it occurs in old age. Autoimmune disorders cause rheumatoid arthritis. Obesity is another cause of arthritis. A family history of arthritis increases your chance of developing this disease.
Symptoms of Arthritis
Arthritis has a large range of symptoms each depending upon the type of arthritis. Here are some basic symptoms of arthritis
- Joint pain
- Stiffness of joint
- Swelling of the joint
- Exaggeration of symptoms in the morning after waking up or getting up after a period of rest
- In osteoarthritis, limited range of motion, muscle weakness, and clicking and popping of joints are the symptoms
- Rheumatoid arthritis has characteristic symptoms like morning stiffness, involvement of smaller joints like hands and feet, and more than one joint is usually involved.
Diagnosing Arthritis
It is important to see a physician when experiencing the symptoms of arthritis to get the correct diagnosis. Seeing a general physician or a rheumatologist is a good place to start. The doctor will take your history and will examine the joints for pain, tenderness, and redness and will also advise a few tests. These include blood tests that will check the level of inflammation in your body as well as special tests like rheumatoid factor (RF), antinuclear antibody test (ANA), and so on. X-ray, CT scan, and MRI scan are also advised to have a clear view of the condition of your joints so they can be treated accordingly.
Treatment of Arthritis
General treatment of arthritis involves relieving the pain factor of this condition as well as the inflammation and the prevention of the joints from worsening their condition. Specific treatment of this condition depends upon the type of arthritis.
Treatment involves medication including painkillers, local creams and ointments to reduce pain, and steroids to reduce inflammation. DMARDS is a group of drugs that targets rheumatoid arthritis.
In addition to medication, dietary restriction is important. This includes limiting carbohydrates, sugar, and processed food in your diet. At the same time opting for healthy foods like fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole grains, etc is important. Exercise and physical activity are important to reduce the mobility restrictions of the joints. Using herbal supplements like ginger, turmeric, and chamomile also helps with the pain and inflammation of this condition.
In extreme conditions, surgery may be required. For instance, in severe osteoarthritis hip and knee, joint replacement surgeries are considered.
Conclusion
Arthritis comprises a group of inflammatory diseases that affect the joints. 100 types of arthritis affect the joint and its mobility and affect the everyday life of the individual. It is important to get the correct diagnosis of the type of arthritis and to treat it accordingly. In addition to this, good lifestyle modification and rehabilitation are also important. Refer to an orthopedic surgeon in Islamabad to know more.
