Arthritis & JointProblems
Question: What is
Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Answer: Rheumatoid
arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease, in which various joints in the body are
inflamed, leading to swelling, pain, stiffness, and the possible loss of
function. Some experts classify rheumatoid arthritis as type 1 or type 2.
- Type 1, the less common form, lasts a few months at
most and leaves no permanent disability.
- Type 2 is chronic and lasts for years, sometimes for
life.
The
process probably develops in the following way:
- The disease process leading to rheumatoid arthritis
begins in the synovium, the membrane that surrounds a joint and
creates a protective sac.
- This sac is filled with lubricating liquid, the synovial
fluid. In addition to cushioning joints, this fluid supplies
nutrients and oxygen to cartilage, a slippery tissue that coats
the ends of bones.
- Cartilage is composed primarily of collagen,
the structural protein in the body, which forms a mesh to give support and
flexibility to joints.
- In rheumatoid arthritis, an abnormal immune system
produces destructive molecules that cause continuous inflammation of the
synovium. Collagen is gradually destroyed, narrowing the joint space and
eventually damaging bone.
- If the disease develops into a form called progressive
rheumatoid arthritis, destruction to the cartilage accelerates. Fluid and
immune system cells accumulate in the synovium to produce a pannus,
a growth composed of thickened synovial tissue.
- The pannus produces more enzymes that destroy nearby
cartilage, aggravating the area and attracting more inflammatory white
cells, thereby perpetuating the process.
- This inflammatory process not only affects cartilage
and bones but can also harm organs in other parts of the body.
Question: What causes
Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Answer: Rheumatoid
arthritis is unlikely to be due to a single cause, but rather a combination of
genetic and environmental factors that trigger an abnormal immune response.
Question: Who gets
Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Answer: Rheumatoid
arthritis (RA) is an ancient disease. Bone changes indicating the condition
have been identified in skeletons thousands of years old. RA affects an
estimated 2.1 million Americans, or 1% of the US population.
Age
Although
the disease can occur at any age from childhood to old age, it usually starts
in young adulthood, with age of onset peaking between 20 and 45. Still, about
50,000 children may be afflicted with the juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
Gender
Up
to three quarters of rheumatoid arthritis sufferers are women. (The risk for
women is slightly lower if they have been pregnant.) Women are also at higher
risk for the severe type 2 rheumatoid arthritis.
Family History
The
risk increases in those with relatives who have rheumatoid arthritis.
Other Risk Factors
Other
factors may place certain susceptible individuals at higher risk for developing
RA:
- Long-Term Smoking.
- History of Blood Transfusions.
- Obesity.
- Coffee Consumption. A 2000 Finnish study reported a
direct association between coffee consumption and an increased risk for
RA, possibly because coffee's effect on rheumatoid factor. The study did
not account for other factors, however, such as other behaviors or habits,
or the way coffee is prepared (typically without filters in Finland).
Further investigation is needed.
- Silicone Implants. Most studies to date have found no
association between silicone breast implants and rheumatoid arthritis or
other autoimmune disease (except possibly Sjögren's syndrome).
The Role of Allergies
Reports
from a Dutch study suggest that hay fever sufferers have a reduced
risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, and, conversely, arthritis patients
are less likely to have hay fever.
Question: What is Osteoarthritis?
Answer: Osteoarthritis, also known
as degenerative joint disease, is the most common arthritic disease.
Osteoarthritis occurs in the joints of the body when cartilage is damaged and
lost and bones undergo abnormal changes. Many Osteoarthritis patients report
better pain relief from NSAIDs than from acetaminophen, but prolonged use of
NSAIDs can have severe side effects, particularly gastrointestinal bleeding.
Question: I strained the tendons in my wrist while
playing field hockey. How long should they take to heal?
Answer: It usually takes a few days for the pain
and swelling of a minor strain to go away. Strains occur when a muscle, tendon
(which connects muscle to bone), or ligament (which connects bone to bone) is
overused or stretched forcibly beyond its normal length.
If the tendons or ligaments are partly
or completely torn, the injured area is sprained. The affected area may be
swollen, bruised, stiff, and sore. In severe cases, the joint may be unstable
or fractured.
The usual treatments for most
minor strains and sprains are rest (with a splint if needed), ice, and
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen. Most minor injuries
heal in 1-2 weeks, although recovery time varies depending on which tendon was
strained and how serious the injury is.
If a joint is unstable or
possibly fractured, an X-ray of the area and evaluation by an orthopedic
specialist may be necessary. Severe injuries require immobilization with a
splint or cast.
If you are still suffering
significant pain 5 days after the injury, see your doctor.
Question: How common is arthritis of the jaw?
Answer: Many different forms of arthritis affect the
jaw--especially the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ), the joint between the
temple bone (temporo) and the jaw bone or mandible. In people over 40,
Osteoarthritis in the TMJ can cause creaking and pain in that joint only.
Juvenile or adult rheumatoid arthritis can also affect the jaw. Last,
irritations of the jaw--temporo-mandibular pain syndrome (TMPS)--can strike at
any age. The most common symptom of this is a clicking of the joint that is
caused by an abnormal muscle spasm that disrupts the normal movements of the
jaw.
TMPS is a common type of head or neck pain and is often seen in
young people. Although TMPS is common, people do not always tell their doctor
they have it. Unfortunately, only 3-4% of patients who doctors suspect may have
TMPS seek treatment. People with TMPS don't usually have pain in other joints.
Pain is localized to the temporo-mandibular joint and muscles around it. It is
aggravated by jaw movements and chewing. It can affect one side or both sides
of the joint. There may also be stiffness and intermittent or persistent
locking of the jaw. It is important to say that this is not a serious disease.
The pain is made worse by cramped muscles, which have been under constant
tension (from clenching, for example). Reducing jaw muscle tension, by avoiding
clenching, nail biting, or pencil chewing, for instance, can be helpful.
Home Page
Newsletters
FAQs
H-SCAN Physical Age Test
Our Results
|