Overview of arthritis

So what is arthritis? This is a painful inflammation of the joints. Causing swelling and pain of the part affected. It is a crippling disease that when left untreated can cause great pain, suffering and incapacitation of the patient. There are many different forms of this disease and a variety of causes. There are to date around 100 different varieties of this disease. In fact it is one of the most common diseases in the USA.

Common forms of arthritis:

Osteoarthritis: Wear and tear is the cause of one of the most common forms of this disease Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis affects the large joints in the body, for example, hips and knees. This form of arthritis also affects the spine and hands. This is a degenerative form of this disease and is when the cartilage becomes worn down and gradually disappears. The cartilage is the padding between the 2 bones of the joint and when damage or degeneration occurs in this area the bones become exposed and will rub together causing damage to the bone and pain in the joint.  Primary Osteoarthritis is when it is caused by aging and natural degeneration. Secondary Osteoarthritis is damage and degeneration of the cartilage from causes such as disease and trauma. It is often hereditary.

Gout: Gout is another form of arthritis. It occurs when uric acid crystals are deposited in the cartilage. This causes painful swelling and degeneration of the cartilage. This will give rise to some of the same symptoms as Osteoarthritis. Deposits of uric acid are formed in the tissues of the body. Chronic gout can cause strain on the kidneys and form kidney stones. There is still some controversy as to whether uric acid is indeed the primary cause of gout. About 1 million Americans are affected by gout.

Rheumatoid arthritis:  is another common form of this disease. It can actually affect many parts of your body not just joints. It is when the immune system starts to work against your body instead of protecting it. This is a very painful and debilitating disease. It affects small bones and joints of the hands feet and sometimes the neck. It causes inflammation and deformities in the fingers, knuckles and toes.

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