Arthritis

Overview   
Symptoms   
Treatment   
Products   
Resources

Nearly 40 million Americans – one out of every seven – have arthritis. Arthritis literally means “joint inflammation” and refers to more than 100 related medical conditions. These diseases usually affect the area in or around joints, such as muscles and tendons. They usually cause stiffness, pain and fatigue. Some of these diseases can also affect other parts of the body, including the skin and internal organs.

If you do not move a joint regularly, the muscles around it weaken and tighten. The joint can stiffen or even freeze. When you do try to move, the joint and muscles hurt because they have been still for to long. This can make it hard to do the movements you rely on every day for work or taking care of your family. But you can take steps to reduce the pain, keep active and move your joints.

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Symptoms of Arthritis

The severity of arthritis varies from person to person and even from day to day. For some people only a few joints are stiff and swollen, but others have their entire body affected. Many types of arthritis show signs of joint inflammation: swelling, stiffness, tenderness, redness or warmth. These joint symptoms may be accompanied by weight loss, fever or weakness.

Symptoms that last for more than two weeks may be caused by inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis. Joint inflammation may also be caused by infection, which can lead to septic arthritis. Degenerative joint disease or osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, but joint inflammation is not a significant feature of this condition.

Muscles hurt after doing exercise or activities that you aren't used to. And when a joint is damaged, simple activities stress the joint. Pain may be caused by swelling, joint damage, muscle tightness or spasm. When your joints are inflamed or damaged, you need to take certain precautions. Your doctor or therapist can teach you exercises and the correct use of heat and cold to decrease pain. You can also learn how to use your body with the least stress to your joints for less pain, easier movement and even more energy.

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Types of Arthritis

Identifying the type of arthritis you have is important in order to have your physician treat it properly. Different types of arthritis can affect one or more parts of a joint, resulting in a change of shape and alignment in the joints. Following are the most common types of arthritis:

Back Pain in the lower back area is often caused by certain types of arthritis. Treatments include pain relievers or anti-inflammatory drugs, exercise, heat or cold, joint protection, pacing your activities and self-care skills.

Bursitis and Tendonitis result from irritation caused by injuring or overusing a joint. Bursitis affects a small sac that helps muscles move easily, while tendonitis affects the tendons that attach muscle to bone.

Fibromyalgia affects muscles and their attachments to bone. It is characterized by widespread pain and tender points, which are certain places on the body that are more sensitive to pain. People with fibromyalgia frequently experience fatigue, disturbed sleep, stiffness and psychological distress.

Gout results when the body produces too much or is unable to rid itself of uric acid.  The uric acid forms needlelike crystals in the joint that cause severe pain and swelling.  Gout usually affects men more often than women and manifests itself in the big toes, ankles and knees.

Lupus is a rheumatic disease that affects the skin and body tissues, and sometimes organs such as the kidneys, lungs or heart. Lupus affects women about eight to 10 times more often than men. Symptoms often first appear in women between ages 18 and 45. A few common symptoms include a butterfly-patterned rash over the cheeks and across the bridge of the nose; scaly, disc-shaped sores on the face, neck and chest; abnormal sun sensitivity; and arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis that affects most people as they age. It is sometimes called degenerative arthritis because it involves the breakdown of cartilage and bones, causing pain and stiffness. Osteoarthritis usually affects the fingers and weight-bearing joints, including the knees, feet, hips and back.

Osteoporosis causes bone to lose mass and become brittle, often leading to painful fractures, rounded shoulders and loss of height. The disease affects more than 25 million Americans, 80 percent of whom are women. It is the major underlying cause of bone fractures in postmenopausal women and the elderly.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an abnormality in the body’s defense or immune system that causes inflammation of the joints. Inflammation begins in the joint lining and then may damage both cartilage and bone. Rheumatoid arthritis often affects the same joints on both sides of the body. The hands, wrists, feet, knees, ankles, shoulders, neck, jaw and elbows can be affected.

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Arthritis Products

Hot and Cold Therapy products help to reduce both pain and swelling by using applications of heat or cold either separately or in a coordinated treatment plan.  These include:

• Reusable Hot/Cold Gel Packs and Wraps
• Instant Cold Packs (one-time use)
• Moist or Dry Heating Pads
• Paraffin Baths use a heat transfer process to provide deep heat into the affected joint or limb area.
• Hyrocollators provide moist heat for arthritic, muscle or joint pain and soreness.
• Thermophores are a specific brand of moist heating pads that draws moisture from humidity in the air.

Neoprene Supports can be applied to a joint or muscle for compression, support and body heat retention. The area under the support becomes warm because the neoprene fabric retains your natural body heat and keeps your muscles loose and flexible. This is important during activities because warm muscles or joints are less susceptible to injury than cold muscles. These include supports for the:

• Ankle
• Back
• Elbow
• Hand
• Knee
• Thigh
• Wrist

Elastic Supports can be applied as supportive compression after an injury to help reduce swelling and support damaged tissues. They are used to support weak, injured or stiff joints and for acute or chronic conditions. These include:

• Ankle
• Back
• Elbow
• Hand
• Knee
• Thigh
• Wrist

Abdominal, Rib, Lumbar Sacral & Sacroiliac Supports/Belts are available in a variety of styles to fit all body types. Most are adjustable with shapeable stays and tapered design.

Aids for Daily Living (ADL’s) help patients remain independent by facilitating their daily tasks in eating, dressing, bathing and toileting. These include:

• Reachers, Dressing Aids, Velcro Buttons, and Zipper Pullers
• Door Openers, Lamp Switches and Key Turners
• Pill Dispensers, Pill Cutters and Crushers, and Eye Droppers
• Long Handled Combs, Brushes and Cleaning Tools
• Silverware, Plates, and Kitchen Aids to help open jar, containers and boxes.

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Arthritis Resources

Arthritis Foundation
1-800-283-7800
www.arthritis.org

American College of Rheumatology
404 633-3777
www.rheumatology.org


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