Arthritic
| Arthritis | |
|---|---|
 |
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| A hand affected by rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune form of arthritis | |
| Specialty | Rheumatology |
| Symptoms | Joint pain, stiffness, redness, swelling, decreased range of motion |
| Types | > 100, most common (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis) |
| Treatment | Resting, applying ice or heat, weight loss, exercise, joint replacement |
| Medication | Ibuprofen, paracetamol (acetaminophen) |
| Classification | |
|---|---|
| External resources |
Arthritis is a term often used to mean any disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, swelling, and decreased range of motion of the affected joints. In some types other organs are also affected. Onset can be gradual or sudden.
There are over 100 types of arthritis. The most common forms are osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis usually occurs with age and affects the fingers, knees, and hips. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that often affects the hands and feet. Other types include gout, lupus, fibromyalgia, and septic arthritis. They are all types of rheumatic disease.
Treatment may include resting the joint and alternating between applying ice and heat. Weight loss and exercise may also be useful. Pain medications such as ibuprofen and paracetamol (acetaminophen) may be used. In some a joint replacement may be useful.
Osteoarthritis affects more than 3.8% of people while rheumatoid arthritis affects about 0.24% of people. Gout affects about 1 to 2% of the Western population at some point in their lives. In Australia about 15% of people are affected, while in the United States more than 20% of have a type of arthritis. Overall the disease becomes more common with age. Arthritis is a common reason that people miss work and can result in a decreased quality of life. The term is from Greek arthro- meaning joint and -itis meaning inflammation.
There are several diseases where joint pain is primary, and is considered the main feature. Generally when a person has "arthritis" it means that they have one of these diseases, which include:
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