Arthritis
comes in many forms and can affect people at any stage in life. The two
most common forms are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Although these
have different causes and risk factors they share a common symptom of persistent
joint pain. Osteoarthritis
is the most common form and affects millions of adults worldwide. It starts with
the breakdown of joint cartilage resulting in pain and stiffness. This is most
commonly felt in the fingers, knees, hips and spine. Work-related
repetitive injury and physical trauma may contribute to the development of osteoarthritis.
For example, if you have a strenuous job that requires repetitive bending, kneeling,
or squatting, you may be at high risk for osteoarthritis of the knee. Osteoarthritis
usually comes on slowly. Early in the disease, joints may ache after physical
work or exercise. If you are experiencing symptoms such as joint pain and stiffness,
see your doctor. Although
the exact cause of OA is not known, some scientists believe that joint damage
begins in response to physical stress (such as an injury or repetitive movement).
Also known as "wear and tear," this stress can erode the cartilage
that normally encases the ends of the bones in a joint. Cartilage serves to cushion
the bones and to help the joint move smoothly and easily.
As cartilage
breaks down, the ends of the bones thicken and the joint may lose its normal shape.
With further cartilage breakdown, the ends of the bones may begin to rub together
causing pain. In addition, damaged joint tissue can cause the release of certain
substances called prostaglandins, which can also contribute to the pain and swelling
characteristic of the disease. Rheumatoid
Arthritis (RA) is a chronic, progressive and disabling autoimmune disease. It
is an incredibly painful condition, can cause severe disability (this varies
between
individuals and depends on how severe/aggressive your disease is)
and ultimately
affects a person's ability to carry out everyday tasks. The
disease can progress very rapidly (again the speed of progression varies
widely
between individuals), causing swelling and damaging cartilage and
bone around
the joints. Any joint may be affected but it is commonly the hands, feet and wrists.
It is a systemic, disease, which means that it, can affect the whole body and
internal organs (although this is not the case for everyone with RA). Despite
much research, the reasons for which an individual develops rheumatoid arthritis
remain unknown. The possibilities can broadly be divided into those factors, which
are inherited, and those factors, which are encountered in our environment.
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