Arthritis

“Osteo-arthritis, a common type of arthritis, has impacted more than 365 million individuals globally and 180 million cases of arthritis are in India only. It is primarily among the aged population but is also common in the young. There’s a need for early diagnosis as well as timely treatment to alleviate suffering and prevent chronic impairment. Axis Clinics is the ideal choice for you if you need expert guidance and care.” – WHO, Hindustan Times

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis is a common condition of the back, knees, elbows, and other joints of your bones. It causes inflammation in one or more joints. This leads to pain, stiffness, and limited movement of your affected joints. Also, arthritis in the back or neck causes pain. In Greek, the meaning of arthritis is divided into two words: any joint or ‘arthro’ is the first word, while the second part, ‘itis,’ represents inflammation.

It’s important to spot early arthritis symptoms for prevention. Prompt treatment can help cope with the joint pain. At Axis Clinics, we offer a variety of treatments that are decided based on the patient’s condition.

What are the symptoms of arthritis?

Like any other chronic health problem, arthritis symptoms begin in mild and moderate stages and get worse over time if left untreated. Here are some common signs and symptoms of arthritis that Indicates you need immediate diagnosis and treatment to prevent further damage –

Common symptoms include:

Joint Pain and Stiffness: Pain is present at all times or comes and goes. It can be worse following inactivity periods, such as in the morning. Stiffness will make everyday activities difficult and limit how well you can move your joints.
Swelling and Redness: This swelling inflammation will cause them to appear larger than usual, especially if they are touched, and sometimes they become red, too.
Reduced Range of Motion: Movement within joints becomes limited by arthritis, hence making bending or stretching them out impossible.
Fatigue: Even after you sleep well, if there is chronic inflammation, you might always find yourself exhausted.
Bone Spurs: In advanced stages, you may have extra growths on your bones, which contribute to pain and deformity in your joint parts.
Crepitus: Moving any joint produces a sound that is similar to that of popping or grinding. It is very common with arthritis in the neck or back.
General Weakness: Some individuals will have a feeling of muscle weakness together with joint instability, which will result in reduced physical activity.

What are the main causes of arthritis? Arthritis Causes and Risk Factors

Arthritis can result from various factors, including lifestyle, genetics, and age. Understanding its causes helps in better prevention.

Causes of Arthritis Disease

There are many causes according to the type of arthritis disease. Knowing these causes is important for early diagnosis and management that is effective:

Cartilage Breakdown: A common type known as osteoarthritis, where the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones wears down slowly over time. Repetitive use of joints, ageing, or increased pressure on joints because of obesity can cause this kind of wear and tear. When the cartilage degenerates, the bones may rub against each other, resulting in pain, stiffness, and swelling…Read More
Autoimmune Response: In rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder, one’s immune system mistakenly attacks the synovial lining within the joints. This leads to inflammation accompanied by swelling, and then eventual destruction of tissues surrounding the joint. While its exact origin remains unknown, it could be a result of both genetic and environmental aspects.
Infections: Some types of arthritis are caused by infections from bacteria or viruses, e.g., Reactive arthritis starts flowing into them through pathogens, leading to them hurting and inflaming them.
Metabolic Disorders: Gout, an inflammatory arthritis disease, forms when uric acid accumulates within blood tissues, transforming into crystals in the body’s joints, which cause acute pain, especially in one joint.
Injury: Joint trauma like fractures and severe sprains causes post-traumatic arthritis. Subsequently, the damaged joint may become inflamed, stiff, and painful even years after the initial injury.

Risk Factors

Age: The risk of getting arthritis increases after 50.
Genetics: If it runs in your family, you could develop arthritis symptoms.
Obesity: Carrying more body fat adds extra pressure on the joints, which causes wear and tear to the cartilage.
Gender: Women naturally lose much of their estrogen hormone. This loss increases inflammation around the joint capsule. The imbalance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory agents in the bloodstream contributes to this inflammation. As a result, women become more susceptible to arthritis symptoms.
Joint Overuse: Arthritis may also be a result of wearing out your joints too quickly because you do the same things over and over again every day because of lifestyle-related factors such as work-related activities.

How can you diagnose arthritis? Diagnosis of Arthritis

Diagnosing arthritis is an elaborate process. It includes taking a medical history, a physical exam, and some tests. To start the arthritis treatment properly, the doctor will discuss your symptoms. They include where you feel pain, how long it has been there, and how severe it is. Next, a physical exam will check for redness, warmth, and swelling around the joints. It will also test their range of motion.

Common diagnostic methods are:

Blood Tests: Blood tests can be done to check inflammation markers or specific antibodies.
X-rays: A doctor can obtain X-rays to detect joint damage or bone changes.
MRI: By conducting MRI scans, specialists will have a detailed view of soft tissues and cartilage.
Ultrasound: Ultrasound may be used to evaluate joint inflammation.
Joint aspirations: Joint aspiration involves fluid analysis to look for infections or crystals.
Physical examinations: Patients’ joint swelling and mobility are assessed during physical examination.

Arthritis Treatment Options

The arthritis treatment mainly relieves the symptoms of it because it’s the only way possible for arthritis. The doctors use medicines, supplements, and physical therapy to help arthritis patients.

Medicines help the patient to get rid of pain induced by arthritis, while supplements like Vitamin D3 help improve bone health. Moreover, physical therapy helps to strengthen the muscles surrounding the affected joint. With string muscle, the further wearing and tearing of bones can be restricted, and the worsening of the condition can be prevented. However, in some cases, surgeries like joint repair, replacement or fusion are required.

Consult our experts at Axis Clinics to know in detail how arthritis can be treated.

How do you recover from arthritis? Arthritis Recovery and Rehabilitation

Basically, recovery from arthritis varies; it depends on the type and severity. You can enhance your mobility, and relieve pain to a great extent as long as you can manage it. However, the recovery process will be slow as it requires patience.

Mild Cases: In a few weeks or a couple of months, individuals who have mild arthritis may begin to notice changes if they detect it earlier, consult experts at Axis Clinics to know the right arthritis treatment.
Moderate Cases: People with rheumatoid arthritis disease may require ongoing medical attention, especially if they have spinal cord arthritis. Regenerative orthobiologics interventions have a role in Moderate cases.
Severe Cases: The majority of the time, advanced surgical intervention is needed for severe arthritis, known as joint replacement, mostly on large weight-bearing joints like hips and knees.

Rehabilitation Tips

Swimming and cycling are two exercises that can build muscle without putting undue strain on joints.
A customized program lessens stiffness and increases mobility.
To protect joints during recovery, use braces or assistive technology.
Effective chronic pain management is facilitated by yoga and mindfulness.

How can arthritis be prevented? Prevention Tips For Arthritis

Arthritis can be a painful condition to deal with. However, some preventive measures can help you effectively minimize the symptoms of arthritis and lead a healthy life. Here are some essential preventive measures you can follow to manage arthritis –

Include regular physical exercises to keep your body active and flexible.
Eat a balanced diet and include foods that help to increase joint elasticity.
Take measures to protect your joints because as you age, your joints become fragile with time.
Quit smoking and alcohol consumption as they not only affect your lungs and respiratory system but also negatively impact your overall health.
Lastly, do not neglect your health and make regular visits to the physician. This will ensure early detection and management of arthritis symptoms.

When to See a Doctor?

If joint pain and stiffness persist for over a few weeks, consider seeing a professional expert help. It would be best if you could manage the condition before it gets out of hand. Explore customized treatment options by visiting the Axis Clinics

Conclusion

Everyone can live with arthritis if the disease is detected early. For advice on arthritis treatment, visit Axis Clinics, where you can discuss it with our professionals who specialize in treating Arthritis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can arthritis pain go away?

Arthritis has no known remedy. Reducing pain and inflammation while maintaining joint function is the aim of treatment. Expert doctors can help you treat Arthritis, and help you relieve pain.

Can I live a long life with arthritis?

If you have arthritis, your life doesn't have to be any less. By managing your disease, you can increase your life expectancy. You will live longer and have a higher quality of life if you reduce and maintain your disease activity.

At what age does arthritis start?

There is no specific age group for arthritis. Which type you have and what's causing it will determine when it starts. Osteoarthritis typically affects persons over 50 and rheumatoid arthritis strikes individuals between the ages of 30 and 60.

Can arthritis lead to paralysis?

The symptoms of Arthritis can range from pain to stiffness to tingling and numbness there is no direct cause relationship with paralysis attack with arthritis. It may be brought on by RA-related joint deterioration, the illness itself, or drugs used to treat it.