Sunday 12th October is World Arthritis Day, and to spread awareness, we’ve created this handy little guide so you know more about the condition.
What is Arthritis?
📝There is approximately 10 million people with some form of arthritis in the UK.
Arthritis is a condition, which causes inflammation, stiffness and pain in a person’s joints. Inflammation is common for everyone to have from time to time, as it is a result of your body’s natural healing process- it is similar to a combination of a bruise and swelling on the inside of the joints, which results in pain and stiffness.
However, if the pain doesn’t go away after a few days or it’s painful to touch, then it’s best to contact your local GP.
Arthritis can come in many different forms, with osteoarthritis being the most common.
Types of Arthritis
Osteoarthritis used to be called ‘wear and tear’ arthritis, as it was thought that joints gradually wear out with use, which would explain why the condition is most common amongst older people.
However, it’s much more complicated than that- minor injuries that can come from regular, everyday movement trigger the body to begin the healing and repair process to the joints, which causes the inflammation. During this process, some people feel no pain, but for some, it can be severe and, moving becomes difficult.
Osteoarthritis is most common in the ends of the fingers, the thumbs, the hips, knees, neck and low back.
No one knows exactly what causes osteoarthritis, but it may be due to small, repeated injuries over time that don’t heal completely. It also runs in families, and is more common for women than men, and people who are overweight (due to more stress being put on the joints in the hips and knees).
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the second most common form of arthritis and can affect anyone of any age. In comparison to osteoarthritis, which is caused by the healing process in the joints, RA is the opposite, where the immune system is attacking the joints. This, too, results in pain, stiffness and inflammation.
It’s important that this is diagnosed as soon as possible so the necessary treatments can be administered to avoid extreme damage to the joints.
Like Osteoarthritis, it is unknown what exactly causes rheumatoid arthritis to develop, but it is more common in women than men, people who smoke, and people who are overweight.
Other Types of Arthritis:
There are several other forms of arthritis such as:
- Gout– Caused by having too much uric acid in your blood, which crystalises around your joints, causing pain.
- Fibromyalgia– is a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body
- Reactive Arthritis– can cause pain and swelling of the joints, sore eyes and extreme tiredness. It develops shortly after an infection of the gut, bowel or throat
- Secondary Arthritis – a type of arthritis that can develop after a joint injury and sometimes occurs many years afterwards
What Causes Arthritis?
As mentioned, there is no direct cause for arthritis, but the following factors may contribute to your likelihood of developing the condition:
Genetics – Arthritis can run in families, especially rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Age – Osteoarthritis is usually a problem in later life, however arthritis can affect you at any age
Lifestyle– You are at greater risk of developing arthritis if you are overweight, due to greater stress being put on your bones and joints.
Gender– Some types of arthritis are more common for women and other more common for men. For example, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia are more common in women, whereas gout is more common in men.
Symptoms of Arthritis
The common symptoms across all types of arthritis include:
- Joint pain, tenderness and stiffness
- Inflammation in and around the joints
- Restricted movement of the joints
- Warm red skin over the affected joint
- Weakness and muscle wasting
The most commonly affected areas of the body are the:
- Hands
- Spine
- Hips
- Knees
How to Prevent and Treat Arthritis
There’s no direct formula to prevent arthritis, however there’s plenty of things you can do to keep your body healthy, in order to reduce your risk.
Keep Active– Regular physical activity can reduce pain, increase your strength and prevent joint stiffness
Healthy Eating– Having a healthy diet can help you maintain a healthy weight, so you aren’t putting unnecessary strain on your joints.
Stop Smoking– Smoking can increase your risk of developing arthritis. For example, a 2010 study found that male smokers were twice as likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than non-smokers and women were 1.3 times more likely.
Medical Treatment- depending on the type of arthritis you have, there are different medicines and treatments (e.g. physiotherapy), to help manage your pain.
💚Broomfield Care’s Role
At Broomfield Care, we provide support to adults in the Gloucestershire area, within the comfort of their own homes. We provide a number of services, ranging from personal and specialist care, to welfare checks and social visits.
If you are a suffering with a chronic condition, such as arthritis, our experienced and highly skill care team may be able to help you. For example, we can help you get ready in the morning, provide transport to and from appointments, or even just visit to do some light domestic chores. Contact us today to find out more about the services we provide.
References:
What is Arthritis – Arthritis Action
