The True Meaning of Arthritis
Arthritis usually means pain in the joints but it is a disease of the muscles and the bones so there could also be swelling and pain all over. The bones in the joints don’t rib against each other if there is enough of cartilage to protect them. Cartilage is made of living cells known as chondrocytes and this tissue resembles many of the other human organs. Like in the case of all living cells, chondrocytes die and are replaced.
When there is long time inflammation, cartilage cells are destroyed and die faster than the body’s ability to replace them. This is especially true if there has been an injury or there is not enough proper nutrients in the body to repair the joint. Arthritis makes the joints to become weak and instable. Typically, arthritis is treated with medication, physical therapy, and changes to the person’s lifestyle. Joint replacement surgery is a last resort after health care providers have tried other less intrusive interventions to relieve the discomfort.
Arthritis is divided into two main categories, i.e. localized and generalized depending on areas affected; it is further subdivided into sub-categories. One of the sub-categories is localized conditions which only affect the soft tissue that surrounds the bones or joints, and is used to relate to conditions like tendonitis or bursitis.
A sub-category of localized arthritis affects one or some of the joints like hip or knee joints. In a general sense, the disease affects the soft tissue and muscle where there isn’t any evidence of inflammation or swelling. In this condition there is no joint damage and fibromyalgia belongs to this category.
In the second sub-group is a condition in which the person suffering from arthritis may have swelling on the whole body. Other generalized conditions are polymyositis (muscles); systemic lupus erythematosus (skin, kidneys, or other organs); and vasculitis (any organ). Erythematosus or involvement of skin, kidney and other organs, vasculitis or any organ and polymyositis involving the muscles are other generalized conditions.
An individual is capable of having more than just one arthritis type and it includes over one hundred different medical conditions that are known to affect roughly forty six million adults and three hundred thousand children within the United States. This condition can start as early as infancy, while it is most common among adults over 60, primarily in the form of osteoarthritis. As the American population ages, the number of people suffering with it is increasing.
This costs over 124 billion dollars a year in medical care and indirect expenses. By taking the time to follow a couple of simple steps, most individuals can help to prevent osteoarthritis: The ability to maintain the appropriate weight and consume fresh vegetables and fruits are a really good source of vitamins D and C. Consumption of calcium is very important, adults must consume about 1000-1500mg calcium every day, exercising daily is a must and one must avoid injuries that may damage the joints.