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What is Arthritis?

What is Arthritis

“Arthritis” simply means joint inflammation. Joints are areas in which two bones meet, like your fingers or elbows.

There are a lot of various types of arthritis with various causes and treatments. In many types, other organs, like your lungs, heart, or blood vessels, can also be impacted.

Typical symptoms of arthritis include inflammation, redness, pain, and heat throughout your joints.

When you have arthritis, it is vital for your healthcare provider to determine the type of arthritis you have in order for you to get the appropriate treatment(s). Luckily, present treatments allow most people that have arthritis to lead productive and active lifestyles.

Types of Arthritis

There are various types of arthritis. Typical ones include the below:

  • Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis that can cause inflammation in the joints and ligaments of your spine.
  • Gout is a type of arthritis that happens as flares, usually in your big toe or lower limbs.
  • Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is the most general type of chronic arthritis that impacts children.
  • Osteoarthritis is the most general type of arthritis and is more common in older people.
  • Psoriatic can happen in those who have psoriasis (scaly white and red skin blotches). It impacts the joints, skin, and areas in which your tissues connect to bone.
  • Reactive is caused by a virus in your body. Symptoms usually clear up by themselves within a couple of weeks or months.
  • Rheumatoid is an autoimmune type of arthritis in which your immune system attacks your healthy joint tissues.

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Chaparral Winds is a retirement facility in Surprise, Arizona offering assisted living, independent living, and memory care services. For more information about our senior living facility, SLS Communities or to schedule a tour, please call us today at 623-343-4125.

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What is Osteoarthritis?

What is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is the most extensive type of arthritis, affecting millions of people across the globe. It transpires when the preventive cartilage that pads the ends of the bones becomes worn over time.

Despite the fact that osteoarthritis can be damaging to any joint, the disease most commonly affects joints in the knees, hands, hips, and spine.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis can usually be regulated, nevertheless, the damage to joints cannot be undone. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, retaining a healthy weight, and receiving appropriate treatments could delay progression of the ailment and help improve pain and joint function.

Symptoms of Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis symptoms generally progress slowly and worsen over time. The symptoms of the disease can include:

  • Swelling. This might be caused by soft tissue inflammation around the joint.
  • Stiffness. Joint stiffness could be most obvious when waking up or following being inactive.
  • Loss of Flexibility. You might not be able to move your joints through their full range of motion.
  • Crepitus. You could feel a grinding sensation (crepitus) when using the joint, and you might hear cracking or popping.
  • Bone spurs. These additional pieces of bone, that feel like hard bumps, can form around the affected joint.
  • Tenderness. Your joint might feel tender when placing light pressure on it.
  • Pain. Impacted joints might hurt during or after moving.

When to See a Doctor

When you have stiffness or joint pain that simply does not go away, schedule a visit with your doctor.

Causes of Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis transpires when the cartilage that pads the end of bones in your joints after a while deteriorate. Cartilage is a set, slippy tissue that allows nearly frictionless joint motion.

After a while, should the cartilage wear down completely, bone is going to rub on bone.

This is sometimes known as a “wear & tear “ailment. But apart from the breakdown of cartilage, osteoarthritis changes the whole joint. It is going to make changes in the bone and weakening of the joining tissues that hold the joints together and connects muscle to bone. It also produces swelling to the joints lining.

Risk Factors of Osteoarthritis

Factors that might increase your risk of osteoarthritis can include:

  • Older age. The risk of osteoarthritis increases as people age.
  • Gender. Women have more of a possibility to develop osteoarthritis, nevertheless, it’s not known why.
  • Weight. Carrying extra body weight adds to osteoarthritis in various ways, and the more weight you bear, the increase of risk you have. Add weight strains weight-carrying joints, such as your knees and hips. Additionally, fatty tissues produces proteins that can cause harmful inflammation surrounding your joints.
  • Joint injuries. Injuries, such as those that happen when taking part in sports or from accidents, can raise the risk of osteoarthritis. Even those that took place years ago and appear to have healed could also increase your risk.
  • Frequent stress on the joint. should your job or the sport you are involved in places frequent stress on a joint, that joint could ultimately produce osteoarthritis.
  • Genetics. A lot of people inherit a tendency to develop osteoarthritis.
  • Bone abnormalities. A lot of individuals are born with abnormal joints or inadequate cartilage.
  • Particular metabolic diseases. These can comprise of diabetes and a disorder known as hemochromatosis (harmful levels of iron).

Complications of Osteoarthritis

This is a regressive disease that will worsen over time, typically chronic pain accordingly. Joint stiffness and pain can become intense enough to make daily tasks difficult.

Depression and disruption in sleep can result from the pain and debilitation of osteoarthritis.

Chaparral Winds Offers The Finest Retirement Living In Surprise, Arizona

Chaparral Winds is a retirement facility in Surprise, Arizona offering assisted living, independent living, and memory care services. For more information about our senior living facility, SLS Communities or to schedule a tour, please call us today at 623-343-4125.

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What Is Infectious Arthritis

what is infectious arthritis

What Is Infectious Arthritis?

Infectious arthritis is a type of arthritis brought on by an infection in the joint. It is also known as septic arthritis. As the name suggests, infectious arthritis is not contagious.

In another type of arthritis, referred to as reactive arthritis, is an infection in another party of the body – usually the genitals, intestines or urinary tract – causing an inflammatory reaction in the joints. Unlike septic arthritis, the infection on its own is not existent in the joint.  Various types of systemic infections may also have joint symptoms or can set off arthritis, but like reactive arthritis the joint isn’t infected.

Causes Of Infectious Arthritis

Almost all types of infectious arthritis are caused by germs or bacteria. The most common types of these infections are Staphylococcus aureus (staph infection), a type of bacteria that can live on even healthy skin. Infectious arthritis can also be brought on by viral or fungal infections.

In some cases, infectious arthritis starts developing when an infection elsewhere in the body passes through the bloodstream to the joint. Less common, the infection starts to enter the joint directly, maybe through a laceration or surgery on or close to the joint.

Symptoms Of Infectious Arthritis

The most typical symptoms of infectious arthritis are excessive swelling and intense pain, usually in just a single joint. About half of all circumstances, infectious arthritis can affect the knee, but hips, ankles and wrists can also be affected. Even less common, infectious arthritis involves more than one joint.

Joint pain and swelling may be followed by other symptoms of infection, among other things, fever and chills.

Diagnosing Infectious Arthritis

The diagnosis of infectious arthritis will comprise of a complete medical background, physical examination and lab tests. Examining a sampling of joint fluid can help find out what organism is causing the infection and help the doctor plan treatment accordingly. X-rays and other imaging tests of the involved joint also may be ordered to determine any damage to the joint.

Treatment For Infectious Arthritis

Medical care will depend on the kind of germ or bacteria that is causing the infection. Bacterial infections are mostly treated with antibiotics. The type of antibiotic the doctor will use; depends on the bacterium that is causing the infection. Antibiotics may be taken by mouth or given intravenously injection. Antibiotics usually will stop the infection in from a few days to a few weeks, but in some cases, they must be given over a couple of months.

Infectious arthritis caused by a fungus can be difficult to treat, often needing several months of antifungal medication and, occasionally surgery to clear away the affected tissue.  Infectious arthritis caused by a virus, usually goes away by itself with no definitive treatment.

Treatment may also be needed to relieve pain and ease inflammation of infectious arthritis. In some cases, the doctor may empty the infected joint by inserting a needle into it and withdrawing fluid.

Infectious Arthritis Self-Care

Added to the treatments prescribed by the doctor, it is important to take it easy and take care of the inflamed joints.  After the infection is gone, moderate exercise is helpful by strengthening muscle to re-enforce the joint and increase range of motion.

Who Is At Risk For Infectious Arthritis?

Young children and the elderly are most likely to become infected with septic arthritis. People with open wounds are also venerable for septic arthritis. In addition, people with a weaker immune system and those with pre-existing disease or illness, also have a higher risk of developing infectious arthritis. Also, already damaged joints have a greater chance of becoming infected.

Infectious Arthritis Risk Factors

A number of factors increase the risk of contracting the condition, including:

  • Pre-existing joint issues, such as other kinds of arthritis
  • Open wounds
  • Intravenous drug use
  • Diabetes
  • A weak immune system
  • Sharing needles
  • An infection somewhere else in the body
  • Too much alcohol use can weaken the immune system

Summary Of Infectious Arthritis

  • Infectious arthritis is a type of arthritis that is triggered by bacteria, viruses or fungi.
  • Various types of infections can cause joint inflammation. This form of arthritis is mostly curable.
  • If the infection is detected and treated early, there is normally no permanent joint damage. If the infection is not treated fast enough, lasting joint damage may result. Bacterial and fungal infections are generally treated with medication. A viral infection in most cases will go away on its own.
  • Often people with infectious arthritis are capable to resume their usual activities once the infection is no longer present

Is It Possible To Prevent Infectious Arthritis?

Yes, it is possible to prevent infectious arthritis by staying away from infections and preventing damage to the skin.

Chaparral Winds Offers The Finest Retirement Living In Surprise, Arizona

Chaparral Winds is a retirement facility in Surprise, Arizona offering assisted living, independent living, and memory care services. For more information about our senior living facility, SLS Communities or to schedule a tour, please call us today at 623-343-4125.

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