Karen

Karen

** Arthritis **

Arthritis is a disease in the Skeletal System that affects the joints. There are over 100 types of arthritis, but the common types of Arthritis are Osteoarthririts (OA) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Here are the facts:

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a form of arthritis that causes severe inlammation of the joints in the body. It interrupts and damages the process of white blood cells, B, and T cells production and action (B cells are anti-bodies that are responsible for normal functions of the immune system while T cells are vital for fighting infection.) RA affects the body by the autoimmune attacking body tissues causing scar tissue and permanent immobility and deformity. So instead of the cells protecting body tissues, they attack them affecting the cartillage which is the rubbery tissue that cushions bones at joints. RA affects joints such as knees, ankles, hips, shoulders, elbows, hands, finguers, toes, and neck bones by inflammating the Synovial Membrane (the surroundings of bone endings.) //__see picture__//

The symptoms of a person affected by RA are pain, stiffness, and swelling due to the inflammation. RA can affect musculoskeletal structures, skin, heart, lungs, the blood causing anemia, the nervous system, and eye balls. People with RA have difficulties with daily life tasks such as working, washing, walking, cooking, standing, doing chores, and many other activities that required movement. RA doesn't descriminate. It affects all races and genetic lines in the range of 40 and 60, but it occurs to more women than man. Its suggested that it may be genetic and passed down. Sadly, RA is incurable but there's treatment for the pain and infammation. It involves rest and doses of medication (anti-inflamatory medications) along with joint-stregthening exercises, joint protection, and education for both the patient and family so that they can be prepared and know more about the disease affecting that loved one.

In contrast, Osteoarthitis is caused by the breakdown and loss of the cartillage of one or more joints. So like RA causes inflamation, OA makes two bones rub againts each other affecting the joint and cartilage. When a person starts aging, the water of the cartilage increases making the protein degenerate. In result, pain and swelling of cartillage can be caused because of the worn joints. When cartillage is lost, it causes friction between bones. Other causes of OA are excess of weight put on the joins, joint injuries, muscle weakness, infection of the joint affecting the chemicals of the cartilage, or even inactivity..

The symptoms are soreness after activities; deep pain in affected joints while climbing, bending or kneeling; and after periods of inactivities such as sleeping and sitting for a long time. Other people are pain-free in areas with minor joint injuries. The pain comes from the stretched or irritated tissues not the cartillage because it does not have nerves.

Over 20 miilion people in the US are affected by this disease and, as mentioned, it happanes as people age and it doesn's descriminate. Before the age 45, it's most likely for males to be affected, in contrast, females are most likely to be affected after the age of 55. This disease is equally affected by races but it exists more in the Japenese puplulation.

The treatment for AR differs from OA's treatment in some ways. Since overwight is the cause of OA, is suggested to control the persons weight by excersicing to put less weight to joints and decrease pain. The //Heat and Cold Theraphy// is known to reduce pain and stiffness. The //heat// works well for relaxing muscles before excersicing while the //cold// helps to lessen pain by numbing the joint. Pain medication and pain relievers such as aspirin and Tylenol® (acetaminophen) are the mediactions recomended to reduce pain and imflammation. There are many more mediactions and other treatments, ( surgery,injections, yoga) but it just depends on the person affected, their symptoms, and the period that they have been affected.

The only way to know if you're affected by RA or OA, it's by going to your doctor and get either a physical examination, X-rays, or laboratory tests beacuse these two diseases could be really dangerous and painful. Be aware, be prepared, and know the fatcs.

REFERENCES [|www.Medicinenet.com/rheumatoid_arthritis] [|www.know-arthritis.org] [|www.emediceinehealth.com/rheumatoid_arthritis] www.medicinenet.com/osteoarthritis www.healthmd.com/libary/oestoarthritis