Three most common types of Arthritis! Orthopaedics is a field of medical science that deals with the treatment and correction of bone and muscle deformities. Out of the many bone conditions that an Orthopaedic doctor treats, the most common is arthritis.
The word ‘Arthritis’ translates as joint inflammation, but it is used to describe a condition that affects bone joints, joint tissue and connective tissue. There are almost a 100 different kinds of arthritis, of those the three most common ones are-
Osteoarthritis This is the most common form of arthritis. It is a condition that affects the joints due to continuous wear and tear over the years. The joints of the body usually weaken with age as they are overused. But this condition may also arise at a much earlier stage of life if you have suffered a joint injury or have obesity problems. Osteoarthritis mostly affects the joints that bear the weight of the body, like the knee, hips, spine and feet. Its symptoms include acute pain of the joints, stiffness and swelling.
Rheumatoid Arthritis As Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune condition, it means that the body’s immune system attacks the joints, which causes inflammation. This disease can lead to bad joint damage if not treated properly or at the right time. If you have this condition very often small lumps form over the joint areas, which are called rheumatoid nodules. Almost 1 out of 5 patients that have this condition develop such lumps. Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis are more severe than Osteoarthritis, as the pain and swelling affects the joints at the same time.The swelling in this case remains persistent and tends to obstruct simple activities like writing, walking or opening a can. It also leads to excessive fatigue and leads up to a fever or a rash. Psoriatic Arthritis This condition leads to inflamed joints (arthritis) as well as inflamed skin (psoriasis), thus the name Psoriatic Arthritis. Psoriasis makes the skin patchy and red, generally affecting the knees, elbows, navel and the genital area. 10 % of the people who suffer from Psoriasis, tend to develop Psoriatic Arthritis. Although you may suffer from Psoriatic Arthritis from childhood, it is most commonly seen affecting persons between the ages of 30 to 50. The very first symptom of Psoriatic Arthritis is skin inflammation. The condition in some people may affect only one joint, for others more than one joint, and yet there are a few in which just the fingers and toes, or the back is affected. For all the above three types of arthritis and others it is essential that you visit an Orthopaedic doctor instantly, before the pain worsens. SummaryOrthopaedics is a branch of medical science that deals with the treatment of bone conditions, of which arthritis is very common. Arthritis means inflammation of the joint and the condition causes great pain and discomfort. From 100s of different types of arthritis, the three most common are Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Psoriatic Arthritis. The article throws light on these conditions in great detail.
Auhtor Bio: Swati Jaiswal, a nurse & a writer at heart, works with an orthopaedic surgeon. In her free time, she combines her passions delightfully. She frequently writes articles about crucial medical topics in a user-friendly language. So, you can find anything from the aspects of orthopaedics and the best knee pain treatment to and the procedure of hip replacement surgery.