Arthritis Types – Classifications of the Condition of Inflammatory Joints

Arthritis, which has over a 100 different forms, is a joint inflammation which occurs due to the breakdown of cartilages. Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Gout, Psoriasis, etc are some common arthritis among people and uncontrollable pain in the joints is the major symptom of this disease.

Arthritis Types – Some Common Forms of the Disease

Arthritis, a disorder in the joints, is caused due to the failure of immune system. Some arthritis types involve inflammation of the joints while the others don’t. Osteoarthritis can affect all types of joints such as back, hands, knee, and feet. The bones in the joints start rubbing against each other as the cushioning between them is reduced, ultimately causing pain and swelling. Rheumatoid Arthritis affects eyes, skin, blood and other parts of the body. Along with joint destruction, it can also cause functional disability. Systemic lumpus erythematosus, sclerodema, reactive arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, etc are some other arthritis types. Joint pain, swelling, difficulty to move joints, warmth and redness around the joints, stiffness, etc are the major symptoms of arthritis.

Neck Arthritis – Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Also referred to as Cervical Spondylosis, neck Osteoarthritis is the most common condition of the neck that affects the spinal cord. Neck arthritis occurs mainly due to ageing since the bones in the neck start to degenerate as you become old. Other factors such as smoking, heredity, mental stresses, injuries and occupation can increase the risk of this condition. It starts with stiffness and pain in the neck and later on spreads to other areas such as shoulder blades, back, arms, chest wall and head. Other symptoms of neck arthritis include dizziness, numbness in arms, fingers and hands, tenderness and headache. The doctors prescribe medicines after identifying the cause of the disease. Some can be treated by taking adequate rest. However, some need surgery to cure it completely. Exercise is also effective, but it should be done as per the advice of a doctor. You can also follow an anti-arthritis diet to curb the symptoms of the disease. Ice, massage, heat, etc are also effective for treating this type of arthritis.

Arthritis in Knee – a Painful Condition

Osteoarthritis in the knee occurs normally in people over 50 years of age resulting in pain, stiffness and swelling of joints, tenderness along the joints and limited motion. Arthritis in knee happens as the cartilage deteriorates causing bones to rub together leading to pain and deformity. Obese people are at a larger risk to develop this condition and other reasons include joint injury or stress and genetics. Rheumatoid arthritis normally affects both the knees whereas the post traumatic arthritis occurs after an injury to your knees. Arthritis in the early stages can be treated by using non surgical measures such as exercise, lifestyle changes, medication and other alternative therapies such as acupuncture and magnetic therapy.