Arthritis is a condition that affects the body’s joints, but arthritis can also affect the tissues surrounding the joints. Typical signs of this disorder include joint pain and joint stiffness that makes moving difficult. Fever, trouble breathing, swelling, redness in the joint areas, a rash, and itchiness are other symptoms. One or more joints can be affected when you have arthritis, and the level of severity of your symptoms can range from mild to severe.
There are many types of arthritis, and the list that follows gives information about the most common ones. This list also includes additional symptoms and the parts of the body each type affects.
Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis that produces inflammation in the spine’s joints and tissues. If severe, this condition can cause fusion of the vertebrae. When this happens, bending may become difficult and stiffness can occur. The joints in the spine may become immobile. Episodes of pain and stiffness can be mild or severe when you have ankylosing spondylitis. If the hips, ribs, shoulders, knees, ankles, and feet become affected, there may be additional symptoms.
Gout causes joint tenderness, redness, and swelling, and flare-ups last for 7-14 days. After this period, these flare-ups calm down, and they may not occur again for years. Their onset is sudden, and gout typically starts in the big toe or somewhere around the foot.
It’s common for gout to affect the joints in the big toe, but knee, ankle, wrist, foot, and hand joints can also be affected by this type of arthritis. When crystals develop in a joint or around it, gout can manifest. An accumulation of serum urate causes the development of these crystals, resulting in joint inflammation and arthritis. Although some people with a high serum rate level will get gout, many won’t.
Though many older people develop arthritis, some children also get it. There are many types of juvenile arthritis, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis is the most common one. Symptoms of this type of arthritis include pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of mobility. Sometimes these symptoms do not go away, and some rheumatic diseases like juvenile arthritis can have a negative impact on a child’s internal organs.
Osteoarthritis occurs when joints degenerate. A joint injury or deformity can cause degeneration of joint tissues, and so can repetitive use. Most people who are older than 60 develop osteoarthritis, and women over 50 are at a higher risk for it than men are. Obesity can increase the risk for this form of arthritis, too, and so can genetics.
Some people with osteoarthritis may not have any symptoms, but those who do may hear noise coming from their joints, and they may feel stiffness, especially after resting. They may also have pain and swelling. Their range of motion may diminish.
Osteoarthritis usually affects finger joints and joints in the knees, hips, neck, and lower back. Some people with osteoarthritis become disabled and cannot work. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that more than 32.5 million adults living in the United States are affected by osteoarthritis.
People with psoriasis can develop arthritis. Psoriasis is a disease that causes the skin to become red and inflamed and encrusted with scales that appear to be silver. Psoriatic arthritis usually affects the joints in the fingers, toes, wrists, knees, ankles, and lower back. There may be pain and swelling in these areas, and the fingers may look swollen and deformed. People who have done research on psoriatic arthritis think genes and the environment have something to do with this disorder.
Reactive arthritis causes joint pain, swelling, and stiffness. Infection is responsible for this type of arthritis. Other symptoms include eye swelling and eye redness and swelling of the urinary tract. Someone with reactive arthritis may have some of these symptoms or none of these signs. Full recovery from the first flare-up is common, but this form of arthritis could remain mild and linger for an indefinite period of time. If it’s severe and hard to control, it can damage the joints.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder. When an autoimmune disorder develops, your immune system works against you by attacking the healthy cells inside you. This action causes painful inflammation in certain areas of your body, and this inflammation can result in an inability to function. Joint tissue damage resulting from rheumatoid arthritis can cause unsteadiness and deformity.
This type of arthritis is a chronic illness that causes extreme pain and stiffness in the joints located in the hands, feet, and arms. This form of arthritis can also cause a deformity in these areas. It can affect the joints in the spine, knees, and jaw.
People who have rheumatoid arthritis may feel extremely exhausted. They may have a slight fever now and then, they may feel weak, and they may lose their appetite. The heart can also be affected by this condition, and problems with the lungs, blood, nerves, eyes, and skin can occur. The joints in the hands and the feet may become deformed as this type of arthritis worsens.
It’s not unusual that people who have systemic lupus erythematosus also have arthritis. Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can cause many symptoms, including arthritis. Lupus can affect the joints, but it can also affect the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, and skin.
See your doctor if you exhibit arthritis symptoms. Stay active to ease the pain associated with this disorder and improve your mood, but don’t force yourself to do more than your health permits you to do. Lose weight if you are overweight to reduce the stress on your joints. Also, make sure you don’t engage in activities that can cause you to injure your joints. Take walks, ride a bike, or swim in a pool to play it safe and manage your arthritis. Take control of your symptoms before they take control of you.
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