Arthritis Information - Types of Arthritis, Symptoms and Treatments

What Is Arthritis?
Arthritis comprises over 100 different diseases and conditions. The most common are osteoarthritis, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia.

Common symptoms include pain, aching, stiffness, and swelling in or around the joints. Some forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, can affect multiple organs and cause widespread symptoms.

Why Is Arthritis a Public Health Problem?
About 1 in 5 American adults reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis, which makes arthritis one of the nation's most common health problems. As the U.S. population ages, these numbers will increase dramatically. For example, the number of people who have doctor-diagnosed arthritis is projected to increase to 67 million in 2030.

Arthritis is the nation's leading cause of disability, limiting everyday activities for millions of Americans. Work limitations attributable to arthritis affect more than 5% of the general population and nearly 30% of people with arthritis.

Each year, arthritis results in 750,000 hospitalizations and 36 million outpatient visits. Arthritis is not just an old person's disease. Nearly two-thirds of people with arthritis are younger than 65. Although arthritis affects children and people of all racial and ethnic groups, it is more common among women and older adults.

Common Types of Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis commonly called RA is a type of arthritis that causes swelling, pain, stiffness and a loss of joint function. Rheumatoid arthritis can affect any of your joints but is most common in your fingers and wrists. Rheumatoid arthritis usually starts affecting you between the ages of 25 and 55, and typically affects women more than men. Rheumatoid arthritis may last for a short time or for your lifetime.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. This means that rheumatoid arthritis is caused by your immune system attacking the tissues of your body. Rheumatoid arthritis can affect your blood vessels, eyes, mouth, and lining of the heart. RA can also cause reduce low red blood cell counts, scarring of the lungs, and weak bones.

The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown. Hormones, genetic factors, and the environment could all contribute to the disease. Treatments for rheumatoid arthritis include medications, surgery and changes in your lifestyle. These rheumatoid arthritis treatments can slow or stop damage to your joints and reduce swelling and pain.

The main treatment for rheumatoid arthritis are medications. These RA medications can reduce swelling of the joints and help relieve pain. Two kinds of rheumatoid arthritis medicines are called Disease-Modifying AntiRheumatic Drug (DMARD) and steroids.

The DMARDs work best for rheumatoid arthritis. They can slow or stop the changes in your joints and don't just relieve your pain. DMARDs can be taken in pill form or by injection. The drugs slow down your body from attacking itself by supressing your immune system.

Steroids can help with your joint swelling and pain, but may not be effective in slowing down your rheumatoid arthritis. One of the mose common steroids used for rheumatoid arthritis is Prednisone.

Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative joint disease and is the most common form of arthritis. Osteoarthritis causes swelling, pain and reduces the motion in your joints. Although osteoarthritis can occur in any of your joints, it occurs most often in your hands, hips, knees, and spine.

Osteoarthritis affects the cartilage in your joints. When the amount of cartilage is reduced, your bones rub together which can permanently damage your joints. The main facors that can cause osteoarthritis include getting older, injuring one of your joints, or being overweight.

Treatment and therapies for pain from osteoarthritis includes exercise, rest, pain relief, control of your weight, medications and surgery.

What Can Be Done to Target Arthritis?
There are effective ways to prevent arthritis and to reduce the symptoms, lessen the disability, and improve the quality of life for people with arthritis. For example,
Weight control and injury prevention measures can lower a person's risk for osteoarthritis.

The pain and disability that accompany arthritis can be decreased through early diagnosis and appropriate management, including self-management activities such as weight control and physical activity. 

Self-management education programs can reduce pain and costs. For example, the Arthritis Foundation Self-Help Program teaches people how to manage arthritis and lessen its effects. This 6-week course reduces arthritis pain by 20% and physician visits by 40%. Unfortunately, less than 1% of Americans with doctor-diagnosed arthritis participate in such programs, and courses are not offered in all areas of the country. More widespread use of this course and similar programs, such as the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, could save money and reduce the burden of arthritis.

Alternative Arthritis Treatments

You may want to include some alternative therapies to your arthritis treatment. Many of these therapies might help you manage your pain, you need to realize that just like with medications, not all therapies work the same for everyone. It is important that you work with your doctor to decide which alternative therapies might work best for you.

Massage: A very good way to ease the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis is massage therapy. Research has demonstrated that massage can reduce stress hormones and depression, increase the body's production of endorphins, relieve muscle pain and spasms, and improve the immune function and sleep. Be sure to locate a certified massage therapist who is experienced in working with people with arthritis.

Acupressure and Acupuncture: These are ancient Chinese pain relief treatments that have gained acceptance and popularity in the United States. With acupressure, the fingers are used to stimulate specific points on the body. Acupuncture uses needles to stimulate those points. Research suggests that these methods may have anti-inflammatory benefits and release endorphins. Always make sure that your provider is experienced with treating arthritis and is certified.

Diets: Your diet does influence your health and a good recommendation is to have a diet that is low in saturated fats and calories and is rich in grains, fruit and vegetables. While there is no diet specifically for arthritis, there are several ways in which diet may affect your arthritis.

Can Botox injections relieve arthritis pain?

According to the Mayo Clinic, it's unclear whether Botox injections are effective for arthritis pain, but early studies are promising.

Botulinum toxin type A is produced by a specific bacterium that causes the food poisoning botulism. Botox is the brand name for medicinal botulinum toxin type A and is the purified low-concentration form of the toxin. When injected in small doses into specific muscles, Botox blocks the chemical signals that cause muscles to contract.

So far, participants in various studies have reported improvement in arthritis pain and function after Botox injections. There's much left to learn about the possible role of Botox injections in arthritis treatment, however. While research continues, proven treatment options such as exercise, weight loss and medication remain the focus of most arthritis treatment plans.