What is arthritis?
In the knee joint there is a layer of smooth cartilage on the lower end of the femur (thigh bone), the upper end of the tibia (shin bone) and the undersurface of the patella (kneecap). This cartilage acts as a cushion and allows for smooth motion of the knee. Arthritis is a wearing away of the cartilage. Eventually the cartilage wears down to the bone. Rubbing of the bone against bone causes discomfort, swelling and stiffness.
Arthritis is a general term meaning “inflammation of the joint.” There are more than 100 different kinds of arthritic conditions that can affect the human body. To help provide smooth, pain-free motion to the joint, the bones in a joint are covered with a tough, lubricating tissue called cartilage. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, is a degenerative joint disease that causes the layers of cartilage to gradually wear away until bone begins to rub against bone. This causes the irritation, swelling, stiffness and discomfort commonly associated with arthritis. While surgery to replace this worn out cartilage has been one of the most successful innovations in the last century, there are other treatments that can be tried, either before surgery or in conjunction with surgery. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions we hear from arthritis patients.
Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints which can be caused by a wide variety of things. It is one of the leading causes of mobility issues for people over 50, and it is widespread across all cultures and classes. Arthritis is also ancient: evidence of arthritis has even been uncovered in dinosaurs, suggesting that this joint condition is natural, caused simply by wear and tear on the joints as someone (or some creature) ages. The major feature of arthritis is pain, which can sometimes be severe. The condition may also be accompanied by swelling, tenderness, clubbing around the joint, and stiffness. Arthritis sufferers often have trouble moving joints affected by arthritis, making it hard for them to move or to use their hands. As many people who have been around the elderly have noted, arthritis often strikes the hands, because the joints in the hands are heavily used throughout one’s life, and very old people sometimes have gnarled, clubbed fingers as a result of repeated bouts of
What causes arthritis? Arthritis is a joint disorder featuring inflammation. A joint is an area of the body where two different bones meet. A joint functions to move the body parts connected by its bones. Arthritis literally means inflammation of one or more joints. Arthritis is frequently accompanied by joint pain. Joint pain is referred to as arthralgia. There are many types of arthritis (over 100 and growing). The types range from those related to wear and tear of cartilage (such as osteoarthritis) to those associated with inflammation resulting from an overactive immune system (such as rheumatoid arthritis). Together, the many types of arthritis make up the most common chronic illness in the United States. The causes of arthritis depend on the form of arthritis. Causes include injury (leading to osteoarthritis), metabolic abnormalities (such as gout and pseudogout), hereditary factors, infections, and unclear reasons (such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus).
Arthritis includes a variety of inflammatory and noninflammatory joint diseases such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Although the term arthritis is applied to a wide variety of disorders, arthritis means inflammation of a joint, whether the result of a disease, an infection, a genetic defect, or some other cause. Arthritis inflammation causes pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joints and surrounding tissues. Many people, however, perceive arthritis as any kind of pain or discomfort associated with body movement, including such localized problems as low back pain, bursitis, tendinitis, and general stiffness or pain in the joints. For many, although by no means everyone, arthritis seems to be an inevitable part of the aging process, and there are no signs of real cures in the immediate future. On the positive side, advances in both conventional medical treatment and alternative therapies make living with arthritis more bearable.
