| Arthritis is a disease that causes inflammation and | | | | and heart. In severe cases, RA can lead to death from |
| stiffness in the joints. One of the most common forms | | | | respiratory and infectious diseases. Rheumatoid |
| often affects the joint at the base of the thumb, called | | | | arthritis is also an autoimmune disease in which the |
| the basal joint. Arthritis is also very common in the | | | | body's immune system attacks itself. Instead of fighting |
| joints of the hip, knees, hands, and arms. | | | | off viruses and bacteria, the immune system attacks |
| Arthritis is one of the most common chronic health | | | | joint tissue as well as tissue in other parts of the body. |
| conditions in the US today. It is the major cause of | | | | Rheumatoid arthritis strikes chiefly the knuckle and |
| activity limitations in older Americans. This statistic is | | | | wrist joints, but may occur in any joint. The disease |
| bound to increase with the growing elderly population. | | | | frequently spreads throughout the body, damaging |
| Arthritis is often a chronic disease, meaning it can | | | | organs and connective tissue. The pattern of joints |
| affect the person afflicted over a long period of time. It | | | | affected is usually symmetrical, involves the hands and |
| is a disease of the joints, characterized by | | | | other joints, and is worse in the morning. |
| inflammation of the affected areas. There are | | | | Rheumatoid arthritis can strike people as early as age |
| numerous types of arthritis, with the most predominant | | | | 30, but it most often occurs in people between the |
| forms being osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and | | | | ages of 40 and 60. Women are much more |
| juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. | | | | susceptible to it than men. Prior to 60 years of age, it |
| Arthritis is the result of disease or damage to articular | | | | affects women three times as often as it does men. |
| cartilage, the white glistening surface of our bones | | | | Treatment is designed to relieve pain and restore |
| found in the joints. This type of cartilage is found in all | | | | function. Brief periods of rest may help if the arthritis |
| major joints of the body, including the hips, knees, and | | | | has flared up. Treatment may include lifestyle changes, |
| shoulders, as well as the smaller joints of the upper | | | | medication, bracing, physical therapy, or surgery and is |
| and lower extremities and even the spine and pelvis. | | | | tailored to best manage the condition of each patient. |
| Affected joints tend to have a purplish discoloration. | | | | Orthopedic specialists at the clinic will address joint |
| Affected joints may display signs of inflammation such | | | | disease in hips, knees and shoulders. Treatment for |
| as excessive warmth and/or swelling on palpation. | | | | rheumatoid arthritis is aimed at relieving pain and |
| Arthritis is not a condition that only afflicts the elderly | | | | inflammation, preventing joint deformity, and preserving |
| as some may think. There are many people that | | | | function. Most Treatment lasts just a few minutes per |
| suffer from this debilitating condition at ages ranging | | | | treatment. Updated x-rays are needed in order to |
| from children to seniors. Arthritis is the leading cause of | | | | determine exactly where treatment should be |
| disability among Americans aged 15 and older. | | | | centered. Treatment is essentially the same for |
| However, arthritis affects people in all age groups, | | | | rheumatoid arthritis, with heavy emphasis on physical |
| including almost 300,000 children. Arthritis is the most | | | | therapy and exercise to keep growing bodies active. |
| common disease in people over age 45, with more | | | | Permanent damage from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is |
| than 40 million Americans suffering from some form. | | | | now rare, and most affected children recover from |
| OA is by far the most common, while RA is the most | | | | the disease fully without experiencing any lasting |
| crippling. | | | | disabilities. |
| Rheumatoid arthritis affects people differently. For | | | | Another form of treatment called Biologics differ from |
| some people, it lasts only a few months or a year or | | | | conventional drugs in that they are derived from living |
| two and goes away without causing any noticeable | | | | sources, such as cell culture systems. Conventional |
| damage. Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory | | | | drugs are chemically synthesized. Biologics Rheumatoid |
| condition caused by an irritation of the joint lining. A | | | | arthritis is a result of the complex interplay among cells |
| traumatic injury such as a broken bone, torn ligament, | | | | called lymphocytes, cells called macrophages, and the |
| or ankle sprain can result in arthritis of the joint. It can | | | | messenger signals they communicate with, called |
| also begin as part of an acute illness, with a high fever | | | | cytokines. Biologic medications work by targeting these |
| and inflammation of the joints. Sometimes It can | | | | different areas. |
| develop with little to no discomfort except for fatigue, | | | | Always consult a doctor or a physical therapist before |
| loss of appetite, weight loss, and maybe a mild fever. | | | | beginning any training regimen. Age can also play a role |
| Rheumatoid arthritis related inflammation can affect | | | | in the cause of arthritis and should also be a factoring |
| the heart muscle, the heart valves , or the blood | | | | when planning a physical therapy treatment, something |
| vessels of the heart (coronary arteries ). If it begins | | | | as simple as hip and knee exercises that increase |
| with a high fever and other general symptoms is called | | | | your mobility can lessen the pain of arthritis. As we |
| Still's disease. It can also affect connective tissue and | | | | age cartilage can become brittle and can lead to joint |
| blood vessels throughout the body, triggering | | | | problems. |
| inflammation in a variety of organs, including the lungs | | | | |