Arthritis – Osteoarthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis

Arthritis is a medical condition in which one or more joints become inflamed or degenerate. The joint is where two or more bones unite, such as the fingers, knees, or shoulders. Joints keep bones in place while allowing them to move freely within confines. Arthritis can affect people of different ages, genders, and races. It can lead to inflammation and pain, making it difficult to move or stay active. Arthritis can take various forms. Some types of arthritis might affect your organs, such as your eyes, causing issues. Each type has its own set of symptoms and necessitates different treatments.

Types of Arthritis

1. Osteoarthritis

Millions of people today around the world suffer from osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis causes cartilage, the slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones where they unite to cause a joint to break down. Early stages of osteoarthritis can occur without causing any pain or discomfort. However, over time it can aggravate the injury of your joint, making you feel stiffness in your body. Osteoarthritis affects people above the age of 40, and it is more common in women. Knees, hands, hips, and back are the body parts that are most typically afflicted.

Obesity increases your risk of developing osteoarthritis and can make it worse. Maintaining an active lifestyle will help you maintain a healthy weight, which will relieve pressure on your joints. Regular exercise helps keep the muscles surrounding your joints strong and aids in stabilizing osteoarthritis-affected joints. Primary osteoarthritis affects the fingers, thumbs, spine, hips, knees, and toes and is the most prevalent type of osteoarthritis. Secondary osteoarthritis develops after a pre-existing joint abnormality, such as repeated or sports-related damage or trauma.

Osteoarthritis can be disabling if not treated because it causes the degeneration of joints over time. It can cause pain and movement issues, making it difficult for a person to do routine everyday activities and chores.

• Causes

Primary osteoarthritis can result from several factors other than “wear and tear.” Osteoarthritis can be hereditary as a condition, such as nodular OA of the hands, or as a secondary condition linked to other disorders, such as joint hypermobility. Due to extended inflammation and joint degeneration, inflammatory and infectious arthritis can contribute to the development of secondary osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis can also be the result of previous injuries and traumas.

• Symptoms

Osteoarthritis patients pain usually develops gradually over months or years. It frequently worsens with joint-stressing activities like jogging or prolonged walking. Swelling of the afflicted joints is possible. The swelling caused by the formation of additional bone can appear knobbly, especially in the finger joints. Some swelling may look soft because of the thickening of the joint lining and an excess of fluid inside the joint capsule. When you move the joint, it may not move as freely or as far as it should. It may make a grating or crackling sound.

Get yourself an appointment with Dr Spine specialists,  if you are experiencing such persistent joint pain or stiffness. Dr Spine has treated approx. 30000+ patients with such and many related conditions without any surgery, medicines and drugs.

2. Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a disorder that combines psoriasis and arthritis, resulting in swollen, painful joints. Itchy, scaly, discoloured areas on the skin and scalp are characteristic symptoms of psoriasis. It occurs when your body’s immune system mistakenly targets healthy tissue. Psoriatic arthritis, similar to psoriasis, is a chronic illness that can worsen over time. If the condition gets severe, the joints may become permanently injured or distorted. However, if it is detected and treated early on, it can be slowed down and permanent joint damage avoided or reduced.

Psoriatic arthritis, like other types of arthritis, can be mild or severe. Oligoarticular PsA is a milder form of PsA that affects four or fewer joints. A more severe form of PsA is polyarticular PsA, which impacts four or more joints. Spondylitis, which affects the spine, hips, and shoulders, is a less prevalent condition.

• Causes

When your immune system targets healthy cells and tissue, it results in psoriatic arthritis. Inflammation of the joints, and overproduction of skin cells, are caused by this immunological response. Both genetic and environmental variables appear to have a role in this immune system response. Psoriatic arthritis has several genetic markers that link to psoriatic arthritis in people who have a family history of psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. Physical trauma or anything in the environment, such as a viral or bacterial infection, might trigger people with hereditary susceptibility to psoriatic arthritis. 

• Symptoms

Pain or discomfort, and swelling in one or more joints, are common joint symptoms to look for in your body. Joint stiffness is typically noticeable in the morning or after periods of inactivity, such as sitting for an extended time. Your Joints feel a restricted range of motion accompanied by lower back discomfort or stiffness. You feel tenderness, soreness, or swelling where tendons and ligaments attach to the bone, such as the Achilles tendon in the heel. A sausage-like swelling of a complete finger or toe is sometimes seen (dactylitis).

The following are skin symptoms: Silver or grey scaly areas on the scalp, elbows, knees, or lower spine. Small, round patches occur on the arms, legs, and torso, often elevated and scaly. The nails have pitting (small depressions)and fingernail or toenail detachment or lifting.

The severity of the illness varies greatly from one person to the next. Some patients may experience serious difficulties affecting multiple joints, while others may only experience minor symptoms in one or two joints. There may be times when your symptoms improve (referred to as remission) and the time your symptoms worsen (referred to as flare-ups or relapses). However, relapses are often difficult to foresee.

Get yourself an appointment with Dr Spine specialists,  if you are experiencing such persistent joint pain or stiffness. Dr Spine has treated approx. 30000+ patients with such and many related conditions without any surgery, medicines and drugs.

3. Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (also known as RA) is one of the most disabling types of arthritis. Morning joint stiffness is quite common in people with active RA. It could last anywhere from one to two hours or even the whole day. With activity, it progressively improves. Women are more susceptible than men to getting rheumatoid arthritis. It is common among the elderly. You may only experience the sickness for a brief period, or your symptoms may come and go. The severe type may last a lifetime.

Rheumatoid arthritis is not the same as osteoarthritis, a prevalent kind of arthritis that occurs as people get older. Osteoarthritis has many of the same symptoms as RA, but both have distinct causality. While RA often affects both sides of the body, osteoarthritis may only affect one side. RA can damage your eyes, mouth, and lungs, in addition to your joints. RA is an autoimmune disease, meaning your immune system attacks your tissues, causing arthritis.

RA comes in a variety of forms. Knowing which type you have will help your doctor select the best treatment option for you. Seropositive, Seronegative, and Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis are the three types of RA. A positive rheumatoid factor or anti-CCP blood test result indicates that you have seropositive RA. Your immune system is attacking your joints because of the antibodies you have. Seronegative RA is when you have a negative RF blood test and a negative anti-CCP blood test but still have RA symptoms. If you develop antibodies, your diagnosis of RA will change to seropositive RA.

RA in youngsters under the age of 17 is named juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis in children and adolescents was originally juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). The symptoms are similar to those of other types of RA, but they may also include eye inflammation and Physical developmental difficulties.

• Causes

Here is how an RA patient’s body reacts. If you have RA, your immune system delivers antibodies to the joint lining. Antibodies assault the tissues that line your joints, causing the lining cells (synovial cells) to divide and cause inflammation. Chemicals generated during this process may harm adjacent bones, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments.

It’s thought to be caused by genetics, hormones, and environmental factors. Your immune system usually defends your body against sickness. Something triggers your immune system to assault your joints. A triggering event could be an infection or physical or mental stress. The risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis is also considerably increased by smoking cigarettes.

• Symptoms

People are affected differently by rheumatoid arthritis. Joint problems can take years to appear in some individuals; rheumatoid arthritis symptoms might worsen quickly for other individuals. Many patients have periods of symptom flare-ups followed by periods of no symptom flare-ups (remission).

Your hands and feet may be the most noticeable signs of RA, especially as the disease advances and you do not have the necessary treatment plan. Fingers, wrists, knees, ankles, and toes are the parts that commonly swell. A person with RA may feel difficulty walking because of ligament rupture and swelling in the feet.

Your toes can also take the shape of a claw-like appearance, curving upward at times and curling under the ball of your foot at other times. You start to spot ulcers, nodules, bunions, and calluses on your feet. Rheumatoid nodules are lumps formed on your body where joints are inflamed. They come in different sizes, from extremely little to the size of a walnut or greater, and are usually in clusters.

Even though the symptoms come and go, it’s vital not to dismiss them. Being aware of the early signs of RA will help you and your doctor treat and manage it more effectively.

Get yourself an appointment with Dr Spine specialists,  if you are experiencing such persistent joint pain or stiffness. Dr Spine has treated approx. 30000+ patients with such and many related conditions without any surgery, medicines and drugs.

Therapies

Chiropractic therapy @ Dr Spine may be right for you if you’re seeking a non-medication solution to relieve pain in your joints, as long as you remember to listen to your body. The idea behind chiropractic treatment is that when the bones in your spine are aligned correctly, your neural system works best. It benefits your muscles, joints, and all your body’s systems. Chiropractic therapy is a non-invasive and natural technique to treat pain. Chiropractors @ Dr Spine study the links between bodily structures and function, and one area where chiropractic care might be of great help is with the arthritic joints.

To ease muscle spasms and pain, a chiropractor uses various invasive therapies on your soft tissue. Chiropractors may also employ traction or active exercises, gradually stretch your joints and increase your range of motion. Your appointment may feel like a more hands-on form of physical therapy. Chiropractors treat patients with their hands and use special equipment as they do not give medications or perform surgery.

Chiropractors strive to enhance the interaction between the spine and nervous system by using varying degrees of force to rectify misaligned joints, believed to affect the function of all the organs and systems in the body. Chiropractic care and treatment aim to restore movement and function. However, the type of treatment used must be appropriate to the arthritis type.

Dr. Spine to your rescue

Call Dr. Spine to book an appointment on + 91 75 5070 5070  if you suffer from arthritic pain. Our highly trained staff has extensive expertise in assisting patients with arthritis and other health issues. These treatments aim to alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life.