Arthritis

What Is Arthritis:

Arthritis, is the term used to describe the inflammation and swelling of the cartilage and lining of the joints. It is usually coupled with an increase in the fluid around the joints and it is most commonly diagnosed in the lower extremities of the body. This causes sufferers of Arthritis to find normal tasks like walking and moving extremely difficult and often painful.

Research by doctors has identified over 130 different variations of the condition and current statistics predict that in the next 10 years, one in five people will be affected by a type of Arthritis.

The Most Common Types of Arthritis:

Although over 200 variations have been identified, there are two types that are most commonly diagnosed. These are Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form and usually occurs with age, most often affecting the fingers, knees, hips and the spine. Cartilage (connective tissue) between the bones gradually wastes away and this allows the bones to touch and consequently rub together.  It can also cause joints to fall out of their natural positions allowing mis-alignment of key bone structures. Predisposing factors include aging, obesity and trauma. Bone changes such as spurring, cartilage destruction, cystic changes and joint space narrowing may also occur.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a systematic disease that occurs when the body’s own defence system doesn’t work properly. It is characterised by non-specific inflammation of the joints in the hands and feet, but can also cause nausea and tiredness. It may also lead to joint destruction, and typically causes severe forefoot problems such as bunions, hammertoes and others.

Causes of Arthritis:

Although the causes of Osteoarthritis are not fully known, it is believed that certain factors can induce the condition:

• Hereditary: If any close family members have Arthritis, the risk of developing the condition are increased
• Job choice: Athletes and industrial workers have a higher risk of developing the condition due to the increased injury levels they suffer. Any injury that occurs and is left unattended can contribute to Arthritis as it is likely to be used constantly at a higher intensity than normal
• Disorders: Aliments such as Colitis and Ileitis have been linked to Arthritic conditions that impact the ankle and toe joints
• Drug Use: Research has shown that prescription, recreational and illegal drugs can induce Arthritis.

 

Rheumatoid Arthritis has a more specific cause. Doctors have pinned the development down to a fault in the immune system that makes the body attack its own tissues. Genetic problems like this are more commonly hereditary.

Symptoms of Arthritis:

Diagnosis of Arthritis is more commonly found in the main joints of the feet. Any problems or pain occurring in the feet could be the onset of arthritis and it is recommended that people suffering from any symptoms consult a doctor if necessary.

Research shows that the following are usually symptomatic of Arthritis:

• Stiffness
• Swelling in one or more joints
• Recurring pain or tenderness in any joint
• Restricted movement of the joints
• Redness or warmth in a joint
• Skin changes, including rashes and growths especially over the joints

Osteoarthritis most commonly develops around the age of 40-60 and becomes more prevalent with age. NHS research shows that around 12% of people over 65 are affected by the condition.

The symptoms of Osteoarthritis can be slow in their initial development, with random pain, stiffness and restricted movement occurring in the affected joints. These symptoms can occur simultaneously, or singly which makes them hard to detect and can be easily shrugged off and just ‘unusual’. However, some people will go on to have creaking or cracking joints, bone growths and joints that begin to visibly mis-align – pain generally increases throughout the day and intensifies if left unattended.

Rheumatoid Arthritis more noticeably affects people in terms of age and gender. According to the NHS, between 1-3% of the population are affected by the condition and it normally starts between the age of 30-50 years. The condition also affects more three times more women than men.

Similar to Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis develops gradually with initial symptoms occurring in the smaller joints, mainly fingers and toes. Pain progressively occurs, along with swelling and restriction of movements on selected joints. The symptoms can be aggravated by cold and damp weather and as general characteristics of Arthritis go; symptoms are often worse first thing in the morning and tiredness and nausea are commonplace.

Relief and Prevention of Arthritis:

The treatment and prevention methods are quite varied as the nature and severity of symptoms can be local to the individual suffering from the condition. As such, an aid that may help one person, may not help another – the most important thing is that treatment is started early in order to reduce further damage to the joints.

The more common treatments involve the consultation of healthcare professionals including GPs, Physios and Podiatrists etc. However the side effects from prescription drugs aren’t popular, and as focus on natural remedies have increased over the years, the other options such as herbal remedies and healthy footwear are becoming increasingly popular.

Customer experience :

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