Demystifying Different Forms of Arthritis

If you experience persistent joint pain that worsens over time, you may have arthritis. Although there is no precise cure for this disorder, the best East Village family medicine physician can develop a personalized treatment plan, including steroids, to alleviate your symptoms. The medical intervention also slows down the disorder’s progression, preserving your mobility.

An overview of arthritis

Arthritis is a chronic disorder that causes tenderness and swelling in one or more joints. It often affects the ankles, wrists, knees, and shoulders joints. Arthritis can be metabolic, infectious, inflammatory, or degenerative, but they all cause chronic pain and limited mobility and joint functionality. Although this disorder is more prevalent in older adults, it can affect anyone, including children. Depending on the type of arthritis, your symptoms may include swelling, redness, stiffness, and excruciating pain. If left untreated, this disorder can deteriorate, increasing the severity of your symptoms and your risk of permanent disability.

Different forms of arthritis

The different forms of arthritis include:

• Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is one of the most aggressive forms of arthritis that often affects older adults. It occurs when the cartilage cushioning your joints wears away, causing friction between your bones. The friction causes inflammation, resulting in bone injury, bone spur formation, and chronic pain. Osteoarthritis can affect one or several joints on one side of your body. Your family history, age injuries, joint overuse, and obesity elevate your risk of this disorder. To determine if you have osteoarthritis, your physician will perform a thorough physical exam and review your medical history.

• Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disorder occurring when your body mistakenly attacks healthy joint tissue. If not treated, this disorder may result in permanent joint deformities, affecting your mobility. Symptoms of this disorder include sleep difficulties, tingling, warmth, numbness, burning in your feet and hands, and rheumatoid nodules under your skin. Your provider may order a complete blood count, C-reactive protein test, or rheumatoid factor test to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis.

• Juvenile arthritis

Juvenile arthritis is a broad term for several forms of arthritis affecting children. The most prevalent form is juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), also called juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. JIA often develops in children younger than 16 years and causes joints to misalign, change in growth patterns, bone erosion, and softening and tightening of soft tissue and muscle. Prolonged fatigue, fevers, aching joints, joint stiffness, and swelling may signify juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Other forms of juvenile arthritis include juvenile dermatomyositis, juvenile lupus, Kawasaki disease, and mixed connective tissue disease.

• Gout

Gout occurs due to a build-up of urate crystals in your joints. High uric acid levels in your bloodstream elevate your risk of gout. Other risk factors include diet, alcohol abuse, family history, and age. Although the joint at the base of the big is usually the most affected, other joints can also be affected. Gout causes swelling, pain, and redness in your ankles, toes, feet, wrists, knees, and hands. Without treatment, the disorder worsens over time.

If your symptoms indicate arthritis, call Dr. Pabis or use the online scheduling button to create an appointment for diagnosis and treatment.