Arthritis type, symptoms, prevention, treatment and diet plan

Arthritis is the swelling and tenderness of one or more of your joints. The main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness, which typically worsen with age. The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Includes Diseases: Osteoarthritis; Rheumatoid arthritis; Psoriatic Arthritis

Inflammation of one or more joints, causing pain and stiffness that can worsen with age.

Different types of arthritis exist, each with different causes including wear and tear, infections and underlying diseases.

Symptoms include pain, swelling, reduced range of motion and stiffness.

Medication, physiotherapy or sometimes surgery helps reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.

Requires a medical diagnosis

Symptoms include pain, swelling, reduced range of motion and stiffness.

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People may experience:

Pain areas: in the joints, ankle, back, fingers, hands, muscles, neck, or wrist

Pain types: can be intermittent or sharp

Pain circumstances: can occur while sitting

Joints: stiffness, tenderness, or swelling

Muscular: decreased range of motion, difficulty walking, or muscle weakness

Hand: bump on the finger or bony outgrowth in fingers or toes

Whole body: fatigue or malaise

Also common: flare, physical deformity, redness, or stiff neck

Arthritis is a general term that describes inflammation in joints. Osteoarthritis, also called degenerative joint disease, is the most common type of arthritis. It happens when the cartilage in your joints break down, often in your hips, knees, and spine.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting millions of people worldwide. It occurs when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones wears down over time. Although osteoarthritis can damage any joint, the disorder most commonly affects joints in your hands, knees, hips and spine.

Rheumatoid 

Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease, which means that your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body by mistake, causing inflammation (painful swelling) in the affected parts of the body. RA mainly attacks the joints, usually many joints at once.

Psoriatic Arthritis

A form of arthritis that affects some people who have the skin condition psoriasis. Psoriatic arthritis is a type of inflammatory arthritis. Symptoms include joint pain, stiffness and swelling, which may flare and subside. Many people with the condition are affected by morning stiffness. Even mild skin psoriasis can have a significant degree of arthritis. Treatment may include medication to reduce inflammation, steroid injections and joint replacement surgery.

Risk factors

Risk factors for arthritis include:

• Family history. Some types of arthritis run in families, so you may be more likely to develop arthritis if your parents or siblings have the disorder. Your genes can make you more susceptible to environmental factors that may trigger arthritis.
• Age. The risk of many types of arthritis — including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout — increases with age.
• Your sex. Women are more likely than men to develop rheumatoid arthritis, while most of the people who have gout, another type of arthritis, are men.
• Previous joint injury. People who have injured a joint, perhaps while playing a sport, are more likely to eventually develop arthritis in that joint.
• Obesity. Carrying excess pounds puts stress on joints, particularly your knees, hips and spine. People with obesity have a higher risk of developing arthritis.

Complications

Severe arthritis, particularly if it affects your hands or arms, can make it difficult for you to do daily tasks. Arthritis of weight-bearing joints can keep you from walking comfortably or sitting up straight. In some cases, joints may become twisted and deformed.