Monday, 27 April 2009

What is Arthritis? All You Need to Know About Arthritis

What is arthritis? Arthritis is often used to refer to a single disease, but this medical term actually encompasses over 100 bodily conditions. One of the most common diseases in the United States, it occurs in one out of every three Americans. According to studies, about 46 million adults and 300,000 children in America alone suffer from more than 100 kinds.

It is the number one cause of physical disability in the United States. The country has spent over $124 billion every year for medical care and other expenses related to the condition. This disease has also compromised the health, independence, and physical abilities of millions of people.

Arthritis is often linked with aging. Over time, a human's joints naturally deteriorate. Most people who reach the age of 50 show some symptoms. Pain and swelling are in fact inevitable as the body ages. The most common kind of arthritis, osteoarthritis hits people in their 60s. On the other hand, some forms can start as early as infancy, while others can affect people in their 20s.

What is arthritis causing to a person afflicted with it? The many kinds can cause permanent damage to various body parts if they are left undiagnosed and untreated. Usually, it affects the joints, which refer to the areas where two or more bones meet. Joint problems include stiffness, pain, and swelling. Joint problems can also lead to damage to the joint cartilage or the tissue that surrounds the ends of the bones. This joint damage may result in deformities, weakness, and instability of the joints. These symptoms can affect a person's basic daily activities such as walking, brushing teeth, climbing stairs, or even typing on a computer keyboard.

However, arthritis affects not only the joints, but also the entire body. In this case, the condition may damage any organ or system such as the lungs, kidneys, heart, blood vessels, and skin. The muscles and the bones are the main targets of arthritis-related conditions.

The most pervasive forms are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. A chronic condition, rheumatoid arthritis happens when the immune system of the body wrongly attacks the cell lining inside the joint called the synovium. People experience joint pains, muscle stiffness, inflammation, and impairment of the joints. On the other hand, osteoarthritis affects mostly the joints in the hands, hips, knees, and spine.

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what is arthritis