When arthritis is mentioned in conversation, it conjures up the image of a senior citizen suffering from joint pain, and perhaps unable to move very well. But arthritis is not only a disease of the old: people of all ages, sexes and races can be affected. To help spread awareness about the existence and impact of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs), October 12 is marked as World Arthritis Day.
Arthritis refers to joint pain or joint disease, the inflammation or swelling of one or more joints. While there are more than 100 such conditions, two common ones are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
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In osteoarthritis, the cartilage, which is the connective tissue that covers the ends of your bones where they form a joint, wears down, causing the underlying bone to change. It frequently occurs in the hands, knees, hips and spine. Its prevalence tends to increase with age. As per a 2022 paper in the Osteoarthritis and Cartilage journal, 62.35 million people in India had osteoarthritis as of 2019.
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The other common condition, rheumatoid arthritis, is a form of autoimmune inflammatory arthritis. What happens here, is that the immune system attacks healthy tissue, causing painful swelling in the affected parts. RA affects the lining of your joints, and can eventually lead to bone erosion and joint deformity. While it is common in the hands, wrists and knees, in some people, it can damage a number of organs including the skin, eyes and heart.
How is arthritis treated? When it comes to osteoarthritis, there are certain risk factors: women for instance, are more likely to develop it after the age of 50, and genetics too play a role. Treatment options include physical and occupational therapy, medication for the pain and surgical options if other treatment has not worked.
The specific causes of rheumatoid arthritis are not known, but it is believed that environmental factors, including viral/bacterial infections or smoking, can trigger it in people born with specific genes. While there is no cure for RA, it can be treated and managed with medication, physical therapy and self management/care.
What can you do? The first step, if you suspect you have symptoms of arthritis, is to get an accurate diagnosis and then explore treatment options. Can you prevent arthritis? While there is no certain way of doing this, what you can do, if you currently have healthy joints, is maintain their mobility and function, says the website of the U.S.-based Arthritis Foundation. As is the case in the prevention of many other diseases, also eat healthy and avoid smoking!
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