The dictionary definition of arthritis is simple: it’s inflammation of the joints. Actually, though, the word encompasses about 200 rheumatic conditions related to the joints and the structures around them.
Arthritis – what exactly is it?
The most commonplace form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, followed by rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and gout.
Symptoms that people usually experience who are diagnosed with rheumatic conditions are inflammation, inflexibility, soreness, and pain. People often think of arthritis in terms of the fingers and knees, but it can strike anywhere, such as the back pain of spinal osteoarthritis. Sometimes the immune system and other organs may be involved and become dysfunctional, as with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
Impact of arthritis
If there is one thing arthritis is not, it’s rare. Sufferers include more than 52 million American men and women, making up 23% of all adults. Diagnoses are especially high among senior citizens. Like migraine, joint pain also tends to be more common among women (24%) than men (19%).
The true effect of arthritis is seen in how these people’s lives are altered by their symptoms. “Impairment in the ability of people with arthritis to perform essential daily tasks may interfere with their work, their purpose in their community, or the care they can provide for their family,” explains Medical News Today (MNT).
After all, almost 1 in 5 disabilities stem from rheumatism or arthritis, with 31% of people between the ages of 15 and 64 saying that it limits their ability to work.
Risk factors for joint pain
As discussed above, two risk factors for getting arthritis are set in stone: growing old and being female – although gout is more common in men. A third element in that unchangeable category is your parents, with heredity potentially raising your vulnerability to diseases such as ankylosing spondylitis, systemic lupus erythematousus, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Luckily, some risk factors can potentially be adjusted or avoided:
· Excess weight: Obesity contributes to knee osteoarthritis.
· Car or athletic injury: If you get injured, osteoarthritis becomes likelier.
· Microbes: Infection can lead to arthritis.
· Type of job: For those of working age, your job can be a big risk of arthritis. “[C]ertain occupations that involve repetitive knee bending and squatting are associated with osteoarthritis of the knee,” says MNT.
Freedom from arthritis symptoms
Are you suffering from back pain or any other arthritic symptoms? At Health Star Clinic, we use a team approach of Medical Doctors, Chiropractors, Nurses and Physical Therapists, allowing us to design responsible treatment that avoids surgery and minimizes the use of medication. See our Facebook Reviews.