The most prevalent cause of disability suffered by the elderly is joint inflammation, or better known as arthritis. Arthritis pain is felt by millions of people, who suffer from fatigue, morning stiffness, redness, swollen joints, and even fever. The smaller parts of the body are usually affected first, such as the hands, ankles, and wrists. Eventually, it spreads to larger parts like the back, arms, hips, shoulders, and the neck.
Arthritis comes in many different forms, around 100 to be exact. As a general overview of the types of arthritis, this article will feature common types of arthritis that affects millions of people worldwide. By knowing about the various types of arthritis, people will be better able to manage their condition and prevent it from progressing further.
The following are the most common types of arthritis afflicting people
:
Rheumatoid arthritis
Joint inflammation and swelling characterize this form of arthritis. This type of arthritis can have an early onset age as early as 40s, especially among women. The synovial lining of the joints is usually attacked and thereby gets swollen. Sufferers should seek treatment immediately as it’s possible for bones to become deformed. Even children and younger people can suffer from this type, and one such type referred to as systemic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoarthritis
This type is characterized by reduced elasticity of the cartilage which is most often weakened by stretching and excessive physical activity. Cartilage is important since it absorbs the shock to our joints thus loss of this material would lead to quick wear and tear of the joints itself. Pain results from bones rubbing against one another. This then hinders mobility quite a bit.
Infectious arthritis
{This occurs when an infection penetrates the synovium thereby enabling the bacteria, fungi or viruses to travel through the bloodstream and infect tissues and joints}. This results in joint and tissue infections. Individuals that have previous infections have a high probability of having this type of arthritis . This is why it is crucial to seek treatment for any illness since infection can cause more damage later.
Juvenile arthritis ( JRA )
Children under 16 yrs of age can suffer from JRA. Generally, they have painful joints, a fever, and are anemic. This condition has several degrees of severity, including juvenile chronic arthritis among others.
There are still many types of arthritis but the ones mentioned are the most common form. Consult a doctor today before your arthrits continues to get worse.
See Also: Arthritis Pain Relief
Filed under Uncategorized by on Aug 10th, 2011. Comment. 
Juvenile chronic arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and childhood arthritis are all terms that are used to describe juvenile arthritis. In fact, there are another five sub-types that vary according to symptoms. Juvenile arthritis at one time was known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The term rheumatoid being involved caused some confusion because many thought this condition was in relation to rheumatoid arthritis, which impacts adults. Therefore, the term rheumatoid was taken out.
Different from Adult Arthritis
Most people consider arthritis to be a disease that affects only seniors. However, there are numerous instances of juvenile arthritis that affect babies and young children. As a matter of fact, approximately 300,000 children today under the age of sixteen are victims of juvenile arthritis.
Despite the prevalance of this condition, the exact cause is still unknown. What is known is that adult arthritis and juvenile arthritis have two major differences. Children affected by arthritis can outgrow the condition as they grow older, and it is harder to diagnose juvenile arthritis than is the case with adult arthritis. Second, it is easier to diagnose adult arthritis than juvenile arthritis.
Juvenile chronic arthritis can be characterized as a condition that causes inflammation of the joints, and is diagnosed to children under the age of sixteen. The problems the are experienced by adults can certainly affect children as well.
As mentioned, the exact cause is not exactly known of juvenile arthritis but one theory is that it is an autoimmune disease. Some of the symptoms include, but are not limited to, persistent inflammation of the joints, pain, and stiffness that gets worse in the morning or after sleeping. The pain felt can limit the patient’s range of movement in their affected joints, though normally children do not complain about pain.
Since no test is available that will directly prove that he or she has juvenile arthritis, diagnoses can be a challenge. Therefore, thorough examination must be done in regards to stiffness of the joints when waking up and range of motion. Another sign is if the child shows resistance toward using a certain limb. The person best suited to treat juvenile arthritis is a pediatrician, family doctor. or any other primary care medical professional.
A common type of arthritis in children is juvenile idiopathic arthritis, which is very persistent and can affect the entire body. Idiopathic is a term that refers to a condition that does not have a known cause, while juvenile of course refers to anyone who has not reached sixteen years old. Moreover, this form of arthritis is much more different than the kind that adults are diagnosed with.
See Also: A look at systemic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
Filed under Uncategorized by on Apr 21st, 2010. Comment.
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