Joint inflammation is caused by arthritis, a painful rheumatic condition. Many types of arthritis can affect the joints and other parts of the body. It also represents symptoms, such as pain, swelling, and stiffness.
Arthritis has 100 different types; some common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriatic arthritis.
Thus, in this article, we will explore the conditions, symptoms, and other diseases that can present with arthritis. We will also discuss the treatment to make you aware of visiting to seek medical guidance.
Osteoarthritis (OA)
The Centres for disease control and prevention(CDC) has said that OA affects over 32.5 million adults in the United States.
Symptoms
Here are some of the symptoms that OA include;
- joint stiffness
- pain and swelling in the joints
- limited range of motion
Most people often experience OA symptoms in their lips, hands, and knees.
Risk factors
Below are the risk factors that are likely to develop OA.
- joint overuse, which can happen due to aging
- joint injury
- being female
- obesity
- a family history of OA
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition that causes painful swelling and inflammation in the joints and is also an autoimmune disease. Rheumatoid arthritis mainly attacks the joints, essentially many joints at once.
Some of the symptoms are;
It also has a characteristic of symmetrical involvement, which means that pain and signs of inflammation occur on both sides of the body in similar joints.
Complications
It also has a complicated issue of permanent damage to tissues.
- curing pain
- destruction of joints
- deformity or incorrect alignment of joints
- limited joint mobility
Some cases require assistance to walk
Risk factors
Some risk factors involve
- being older
- being female
- having specific genes
- smoking or being exposed to cigarette smoke early in life
- having never given birth
- having obesity
psoriatic arthritis
It is another type of arthritis that affects most people suffering from psoriasis, a skin disease that causes a rash with itchy, scaly patches, most commonly on the knees, elbows, trunk, and scalp.
Here are some of the symptoms
- swelling, pain, and stiffness in the joints
- extreme fatigue
- nail changes
Unlike Osteoarthritis, this disease is asymmetric, which means it affects the joints on either side of the body.
Risk factors
The real cause behind this is still under research. However, there are high chances of this disease in the affected person’s genes.
Gout
Gout is also a type of arthritis that causes painful swelling. It often affects a single joint at a time.
Symptoms
Symptoms of gout can flare up and go away quickly. They include:
- pain and swelling
- flushed skin
- a joint that feels hot to the touch
Risk factors
- are male
- have overweight or obesity
- Take medications such as diuretics or beta-blockers
- drink alcohol
- follow a diet rich in purines or fructose
