This is a disease that affects the joints. It is characterized by the swelling, degeneration and pain around the joints or joint and it makes the individual inactive due to the difficulties caused during movements. There are many parts of the body that can be affected by this disease like the hands, hips, feet, knees, and even the lower back.
Causes
The cause of the of the disease include family history of the disease, games that repeated stress the joints, and some autoimmune infections. The disease affects over 100 joints and can be named differently according to the joint affected but there are some that are the most common ones. They include Osteoarthritis which is also known as the ‘wear and tear’ arthritis. This type is the most common and it begins to develop when the joint cartilages are broken due to repeated stress. Juvenile arthritis this type mainly affect children aged 16. The disorder is caused when the immune system attacks the joint tissues. Rheumatoid arthritis this type is related to the one mentioned immediately before it as it is characterized by the immune system attacking the synovial membranes found in the joints. Finally, the other common type is the Psoriatic, this is an inflammation the joints which occurs to people affected by psoriasis which is an autoimmune disorder which makes the skin feel irritated.
Symptoms of the Disease
The symptoms include the swelling, warmth around the joints, stiffness, pain, redness, and tenderness.
Treatment
There is no outright cure of this disease, however, there are treatments that can be used to manage it. The treatment is structured according to the severity of the disorder, the symptoms and the general health of the individual. The nonsurgical ones include; Medication this include administering of anti-inflammatory and pain relievers that will help the patient. Biologics that target the immune system response to inflammation for the immune caused disorders. Therapeutic injections this include injections that relieve pain temporarily. Physical Therapy this increase blood flow to this part of the body and helps improve strength and mobility. The surgical treatments include Fusion this when bones of the joint are fused permanently to reduce movement and pain simultaneously. Joint replacement the affected joint is replaced by an artificial one which preserves joint movement and functions.