Most Common Types of Arthritis in Chicago IL
What is arthritis?
Arthritis is a disorder of the joints caused by inflammation of the tissue that covers them, causing swelling, pain, or redness. Literally, the term arthritis means inflammation of one or more joints, which are the areas where two bones meet and whose main function is to move parts of the body.
“Inflammation of one or more joints”
There are more than 100 different types of arthritis and associated diseases that affect the bones, muscles, joints, or the tissues that support them. They can affect both men and women of any age, although the risk of suffering from it increases over the years.
Symptoms of arthritis
The main symptoms or warning signs of arthritis can include pain and / or swelling, stiffness or difficulty moving a joint, but in some cases there is also redness of the affected area or heat.
Arthritis is most likely to primarily affect the hands, neck, knees, or hips. When it comes to large joints, such as arthritis in the knee, there may be cartilage loss with limited movement from joint damage.
“It mainly affects the hands, knees, neck or hips”
When it affects the small joints, arthritis can be detected in the hand or fingers, as there may be bone growth and loss of grip strength of the hand, associated with stiffness.
What Causes Arthritis?
There are risk factors that can trigger any type of arthritis. Family history stands out, since some types are hereditary, or age, more common in osteoarthritis.
They also affect other factors such as a previous injury to the joint that affects any of the ligaments or tendons that surround it, as well as cartilage and bones. People who have been injured on occasion, for example playing sports, are more likely to develop arthritis in that joint.
Obesity can cause it in the same way, due to the extra weight on the joints, especially the knees, spine or hips.
Main types of arthritis
Arthritis is differentiated by causing different damage to the joints, among the most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis, autoimmune (rheumatoid) arthritis, juvenile arthritis, infectious arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and gout.
Arthritis. The most common type
Osteoarthritis is the most widespread type of arthritis, which usually develops in old age and affects the fingers, knees and hips, usually where there was an injury or blow.
Degeneration of cartilage and its adjoining bone occurs. Symptoms are characterized by stiffness and limitation of movement accompanied by discomfort, swelling or even disturbances in circulation.
The main causes of arthritis, in addition to age, are:
- Wear and / or fractures or injuries to a joint
- Overweight
- Continuous work involving weight lifting, kneeling, or climbing stairs
- Hereditary component
- Impact sports like football or twisting sports like basketball
Causes and symptoms of osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is not hereditary, but it does have a genetic risk component. It can also be caused by obesity or lack of exercise, as well as by alterations in posture.
The main symptom of osteoarthritis is gradual pain when moving a joint, which later also appears at rest. It is also characterized by stiffness, usually in the morning, and loss of mobility in the joint.
Ultimately, osteoarthritis causes joint deformity or enlargement of the area, especially in the knees and fingers.
What is the difference between arthritis and osteoarthritis?
Arthritis and osteoarthritis affect the bones, ligaments, and joints and share many of the symptoms, including joint stiffness and discomfort. But the difference between them is important.
Arthritis describes several conditions that cause inflammation in the joints or muscles. Osteoarthritis, on the other hand, is characterized by a progressive wear of the cartilage of any joint and possible destruction. Osteoarthritis does not necessarily present inflammation and will eventually become Osteoarthritis of the affected joint.
According to the Valencian Society of Rheumatology, “osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease characterized by a progressive deterioration of the hyaline cartilage accompanied by synovial and subchondral bone alterations.”
While Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) defines it as “a systemic and chronic inflammatory disease. Classically, a characteristic feature -although not always present- of RA is the insidious onset, with pain and inflammation of several joints in a symmetrical way, accompanied by morning stiffness, defined as’ slowness or difficulty in moving the joints after getting out of bed or after staying in the same position for a long time, affecting both sides of the body and that improves with movement ”.
If you want to learn more about how chiropractic care can help people suffering from arthritis, please contact our chiropractors for arthritis pain treatment in Chicago to get the appropriate treatment for you. Call or contact us today to schedule a consultation with a licensed doctor.
