About Arthritis

Arthritis is a term covering a wide variety of ailments involving inflammation of the joints. The most common symptoms include swelling, stiffness, pain, and weakness in the affected joints. Arthritis can lead to disability, limiting physical activity, and often lasts a lifetime. Arthritis, particularly rheumatoid arthritis, weakens the body and makes it more susceptible to other ailments. Arthritis has no known cure, and can only be managed by therapy, pain medication, and exercise. Currently about 21% of the adult population of the United States suffers from some form of arthritis, and that percentage is expected to rise to 40% by 2030. Though there are over 100 distinctly recognized types of arthritis, the two most common are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, affects over 10% of the American population and is usually the result of wear and tear on the joints from stress and injury. Cartilage breakdown leaves underlying bones exposed to damage and inflames the surrounding area. Sufferers usually try to reduce pain by not moving the affected joint as often, weakening the joint's muscles and further reducing its usability. Joint pain usually increases with high humidity and low temperature, and joints tend to hurt more with prolonged use. Osteoarthritis is often difficult to detect as the symptoms (joint pain, inflammation) are not specific to arthritis. However, X-rays can often show changes in the joints (narrowing, bone damage, etc) that may signal the presence of osteoarthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a much more severe form of arthritis in which the body's immune system attacks its own joints, causing pain, deformity, swelling, and stiffness. As it is considered an autoimmune disorder, rheumatoid arthritis can be managed by immunosuppressants which weaken the immune system. However, these drugs leave the body open to other diseases which may threaten the patient's life. Just as with osteoarthritis, physical therapy and various drugs can be used to relieve symptoms, but no actual cure exists. Rheumatoid arthritis has been known to decrease lifespan by an average of 5 to 10 years. Unlike osteoarthritis, most cases of arthritis can be identified by the presence of an antibody known as rheumatoid factor, or RF. Blood tests can detect the presence of this antibody, sometimes even years before symptoms appear. Early treatment will in turn improve a patient's long-term outlook.