The condition of arthritis is defined as a problem with the musculoskeletal system where there is stiffness, inflammation, pain and damage to the cartilage in the joints. Bones have a tissue cover on them which protects them while rubbing against each other called cartilage. Therefore, it has the same needs as other organs and glands; cartilage cells are called chondrocytes. All chondrocytes will die and are usually replaced by new cartilage cells.
The swelling that is caused due to arthritis damages more cells of the cartilage and most of the time the body takes time to generate new cells. You will find this especially true if an injury has ever occurred or if there aren’t enough of the necessary nutrients within the body to repair the joint. The damage that can be caused by this particular condition may also cause instability, joint weakness, interruption of your daily activities and deformities. Arthritis is normally treated with physical therapy, medication and includes changes to the person’s way of life or lifestyle. Health care providers use joint replacement surgery as their last resort, once they have tried all of the less intrusive interventions to try and relieve the discomfort.
Arthritis is mainly categorized into two types, ‘localized’ and ‘generalized’ depending on which areas are affected (body or the joints). They are then sub categorized. Localized arthritis affects the cartilage surrounding the joints and bones and includes conditions like bursitis and tendonitis. One of the other sub-categories of localized conditions is known to affect maybe one or two joints, like the hip or knee. Generalized Conditions: The first sub-category for generalized conditions is for those that affect the muscle and soft tissue where there is no evidence of swelling or inflammation. In this condition there is no joint damage and fibromyalgia belongs to this category.
The second one is known to include all of the conditions that involve inflammation that affects the whole body. Gout, Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis are all related to this group. Vasculities (affects all the organs), polymyositis (affects muscles) and erythematosus (affects kidney, skin and other organs) are the other conditions that belong to the generalized category.
A person can have more than one type of arthritis and it includes more than 100 medical conditions that affect approximately 46 million adults and 300,000 children in the United States. The condition is most common as osteoarthritis in adults age 60 and above but it can start as early as infancy. As the population within America ages, the number of individuals that are suffering from arthritis is constantly increasing.
Within the United States, arthritis as well as several related illnesses are known to be the cause of major disability and it cost over one hundred and twenty four billion dollars each year in indirect expenses and medical care expenses. By taking the time to follow a couple of simple steps, most individuals can help to prevent osteoarthritis: The ability to maintain the appropriate weight and consume fresh vegetables and fruits are a really good source of vitamins D and C. Regular exercise and consumption of up to 1000 to 1500 mg of calcium per day for adults would help them avoid injuries caused by sports activities.
