Arthritis is a term used to describe over 200 rheumatic conditions and diseases that affect the joints, tissues surrounding the joints, and other connective tissues. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, proximately 52.5 million of adults and 300,000 children are diagnosed with arthritis symptoms in America. People of all ages, gender, and race can have it though it is most common among women over 65 years and the leading cause of disability in America.
There are over 200 types of arthritis which are divided into seven main groups namely; infectious, metabolic, inflammatory, degenerative arthritis, back pain, connective tissue disease and soft tissue musculoskeletal pain.
Although there is no single known cause of all the types, causes in any given case may differ depending on the type of arthritis. Potential causes may involve a combination of many factors working together. The major causes include injuries leading to degenerative gout, abnormal metabolism causing pseudo gout, inheritance infections, and dysfunction of the immune system.
The different signs of arthritis are different amongst individuals and vary during the day. The intensity and effects of each symptom discussed below is dependent upon many factors including a patient’s age activity, as well as other underlying conditions.
1. Ankle Pain
Ankle pain is a major symptom of gout and pseudo gout. The three bones forming the ankle joint are surrounded with synovia, which secrete synovial fluid to act as a cushion and lubricant. The band of ligaments and muscles in the ankle joint may break down causing ankle pain during movement. The pain may also develop from trauma and injuries around the ankle joint and if left untreated results in the formation of the ankle joint. Once you experience ankle pain, it is important to visit the doctor for a CT or MRI scan to confirm if you have arthritis. Treatment may involve surgery to clean the arthritic joint or replace the joint with an artificial joint and therapy to eliminate the painful motion of joints.
2. Back Pain
Back pain arises from inflammation and injuries of muscles, ligaments, nerves, or discs near the spinal cord. It may be caused by referral pain from other body organs causing a sensational pain in the back. Osteoarthritis (thinning of bones) and spondylosis are the main signs of back pains for patients with arthritis.
Osteoarthritis causes the breakdown of the cartilage around joints in the neck and lower back. It also causes bone spurs that put pressure on the nerves leaving the spinal column leading to excess pain. If you experience constant back pains, it is important to visit the doctor to discern the causes and early treatment.
3. Hand Pain
Hands are more prone to injuries than any other part of the body. People diagnosed with arthritis experience hand pain around the flexor and extensor tendon due to injuries. The inflammation and injury of tendons creates pressure on the nerves. Pressure build up causes numbness, tingling, and creates a burning feeling around the hands, a condition known as carpal tunnel syndrome.
As the cartilage around the joints breaks down this results in weak bones leading to a squeaking and crackling noise as damaged cartilage grinds against the joints of the hands. Hand arthritis results to wrist and finger deformities calling for surgery to rectify the situation.
4. Joint Stiffness
Joint stiffness is one major symptom associated with arthritis where joints are inflamed and characteristically stiffer in the morning than the rest of the day. From the onset, joint stiffness occurs due to muscle weakness and inflammations around the joint muscles. It is also caused by injuries or inflammation of the adjacent areas leading to the apparent loss of range of motion of the joints. During the treatment of arthritis, doctors use the duration of morning stiffness as a measure of the severity of the active joint inflammation. As the disease responds to treatment, the duration and severity of joint stiffness diminishes.
5. Joint Swelling
Joint swelling refers to the enlargement of the joints resulting from inflammations or injury of the joints and surrounding muscles. As a leading symptom, swelling is accompanied by pain, warmth, and redness of the joints. It may also be caused by the over or under secretion of uric acid in the body resulting to gout.
Recurrent attacks of acute gout result in chronic degenerative gout. Although joint swelling is sometimes minimal and difficult to distinguish; people with RA can easily discern when their joints are swollen. Joint swelling can lead to a loss of motion especially around the fingers making it difficult to conduct normal duties.
6. Whole Body Fatigue
Whole body fatigue is usually the first symptom of arthritis and appears before any other symptom becomes obvious. It becomes a very common symptom in all stages of the disease particularly when the joint inflammation is active. Body fatigue is caused by the body’s reaction to inflammations, poor sleep due to depression or illness, anemia, and medications.
People diagnosed with RA experience whole body fatigue due to lack of energy and consequently affecting their moods, emotions, productivity, attentiveness, sex drive, and attractions with other people. Fatigue may come and disappear from week to week and may sometimes be accompanied by poor appetite and weight loss.
7. Difficulty Walking
Since arthritis leads to pain, swelling and tenderness of the joints, it impedes full motion and stability of the joints making them incapable of carrying movements with completeness and balance. Difficulty while walking results from pain, loss of range of motion, and joint swelling around the hip, ankle, and knee joints.
People with RA experience locked joints around the knees which is often mistaken for a meniscus tear, leading to swelling of the tendons in the knee joint inhibiting motion. Joints affected by long-standing sessions lead to permanent loss of range of motion. The loss of joint function leads to limping, lack of coordination especially from symmetric pain, dexterity, and disability.
8. Muscle Weakness
Muscle weakness is characterized by the decrease in the strength of body muscles and decreased ability to perform daily functions. Diseases of neuromuscular system, metabolic diseases, and toxins in the body result in weak body muscles. People suffering from certain medical conditions experience muscle weakness after recurrent attacks. Inflamed joint tissue linings are very sensitive to touch and easily irritate nerves in the joint capsules eliciting pain immediately.
Muscle stiffness and joint pain experienced over a long period result in weak muscles, which can trigger chronic types of arthritis. The treatment process also leads to muscle weakness as it results in permanent damage of the cartilage, bones, and ligaments that weaken affected muscles.
