Arthritis Welcome to the Affordable Drugs arthritis information page. Whether you are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis, our arthritis information page can provide you the information you need to deal with your condition. You can find information about arthritis symptoms, arthritis causes and arthritis treatments. You can also find the best prices on your arthritis medications. The information contained on this page is not intended to replace the professional advise of your physician.
What is arthritis? As we get older, especially as we enter middle age, we may start to wonder what types of conditions of aging may start affecting me. Arthritis is one of the more common ailments that usually comes with age, though it can affect younger people in various forms as well. But what is arthritis, and what do you need to know about it?
Arthritis refers to a group of conditions that result in the inflammation of joints. The word comes from the Greek words arthro, meaning joint, and itis, meaning inflammation, the plural of arthritis being arthritides. There are many types of arthritis simply because there are many types of causes. These arthritides include rheumatoid, psoriatic, osteo, auto-immune, and the various forms of gout.
While pain in the joints is the primary manifestation of most kinds of arthritis, it may show itself as less movement the elderly and very young patients. The inflammation may also cause a sort of warping or twisting of the extremities in the long term, and can have a serious impact on the general lifestyle of those who suffer.
The causes of arthritis vary, and can result from a number of factors including age, genetics, infection, illness, obesity, high-impact sports, and occupational hazards. Usually, arthritis results as a breakdown of elasticity in the joints. The synovial fluid in the joints begins to dry up and weaken. This is degenerative. The more the joint weakens, the less the body has the capacity to heal itself and the process continues.
Diagnosis usually involves screening blood tests and x-rays. Treatment may involve lifestyle changes, like exercise and weight control. Physical therapy is usually a vital component in helping patients prevent further damage and maximize the use of the effected limbs and extremities. Exercise is really the most effective form of treatment, improving both the functioning of arthritic limbs and the general health of the patient. Arthroplasty (joint replacement surgery) may be indicated for patients with particularly degenerative cases. These cases usually involve arthritic patients that are elderly and whose age may inhibit the bodies ability to heal naturally.
Prevention, of course, is the best course of action. Regular exercise, good nutrition, and weight control are all effective ways to keep arthritis at bay and allow you to live a high-functioning lifestyle as you reach your golden years. Begin by educating yourself in greater detail on what arthritis is, its many causes, and what you can do now to prevent the onset.
Those who currently suffer, or think they may suffer should consult with a physician about diagnosis and applicable treatments.
Arthritis Symptoms Arthritis is an autoimmune disease which appears in body joints, and progresses over time. Causes vary from injury to genetics. Symptoms of arthritis are the first indicator of a joint problem, and these arthritis symptoms can last over many years. Usually, the symptoms increase and pain or disfigurement develops in the joint.
The first symptoms of joint arthritis may be a short, sharp pain, or stiffness in the joint area. This can be due to deterioration of the cartilage that separates bones in the joint, and when bone touches bone, there is pain. Use of aspirin and weight loss may help relieve the pain for a time. Unfortunately, when there is arthritis in one joint, it will most likely occur in other joints. Pain varies, and with osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, the disease is degenerative to the point where joint replacement may be the only solution. This type of arthritis can be genetic, or can occur due to an injury to the joint.
Other forms of arthritis exhibit different symptoms, including fatigue, warmth, swelling, redness, and tenderness, in addition to pain. Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms can be seen easily in hands, as the finger joints disrupt the straight lines of the digits. Some disfigurement can be extreme and very painful.
There are several other types of arthritis that can occur: psoriatic arthritis, septic arthritis, and gouty arthritis. Symptoms of these types of arthritis are the same as other arthritis symptoms, with painful joints, swelling, and redness. These types of the disease can be an autoimmune reaction, or a problem caused by improper uric acid crystal deposits in the joint.
Look for symptoms at the point where two bones come together at a joint. Hips and knees are especially prone to wear and tear, and cartilage defects or deterioration. Use of a support, such as a cane, may temporarily help, but to relieve symptoms, surgical repair or replacement may be the only option. Once the protective cartilage and synovium are damaged, the joint can no longer protect the tender bone ends, and any movement will cause pain. The pain strike can be so sharp and intense as to cause a person to fall down in agony. Eventually, walking or using the hands will no longer be possible without intervention.
Arthritis symptoms are inflammation, pain, and joint stiffness. Sometimes the disease will affect other internal organs and the skin also. Fever or rash may also accompany joint inflammation. Surgical treatment for arthritis can be delayed, but as the problem increases, the person will either experience drastic cutbacks in movement ability, or require surgery to replace the joint or part of the joint.
Arthritis Causes It is no secret that arthritis is a very painful and sometimes debilitating disease. Arthritis causes persistent pain to those who suffer from it, making it difficult for them to lead normal day to day life. But what causes arthritis?
Genetics is believed to be one of the causes of arthritis. However, it is unknown exactly how much of a role genetics have in causing arthritis. But more and more doctors are beginning to see a correlation between heredity and arthritis. Because of this correlation, more in-depth studies are currently being done to determine exactly how much of a role hereditary factors play into causing arthritis.
Congenital disorders are another factor believed to play a role in causing the onset of arthritis. Congenital disorders that most often cause arthritis are uneven bone structure and bone and joint misalignment.
Age is also believed to be one of the potential causes of arthritis. As people age, their cartilage progressively becomes more brittle. This creates a diminished capacity for cartilage to to heal itself. This increases the odds for arthritis in people as they progress through the aging process.
Weight is also believed to play a role in causing arthritis. Overweight or obese individuals are believed to be more likely to develop arthritis because of the wear and tear that carrying around extra weight creates on the hips and knees. Extra weight simply causes the hip and knee joints to wear out faster, and eventually causes arthritis to develop.
Previous injury is another factor on the list of arthritis causes. Injuries, fractures, and broken bones can result in irregularities and damages to joints. Sports injuries are among one of the leading arthritis causes for onset due to previous injury.
Participation in some high-level sports is also believed to be one of the main arthritis causes. It has thus far been undetermined how much influence these activities have on the onset of arthritis. However, it is believed that heavy amounts of certain activities can cause extra wear and tear on the joints, later causing arthritis.
Occupational hazards are cited as being another cause of arthritis. Arthritis can occur in individuals that work in heavy construction or other demanding physical occupations. The constant strain these types of jobs place on the body makes individuals who work in these fields more likely to develop arthritis than individuals who work in less physical jobs.
Illness and infection are other known causes of arthritis. This occurs mainly with bacterial and viral infections such as mumps, the human parvo virus, and Chlamydia. Other known illness and infection related arthritis causes include multiple recurrences of gout and septic joint infection. Search for Arthritis Drug Prices
Rheumatoid Arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease attacking the lining of the joints. The white blood cells, whose normal job is to defend the body against viruses and bacteria, move into and attack the membranes surrounding the joints. The resulting inflammation not only causes swelling, but also aches and joint throbbing and can lead to deformation. Rheumatoid arthritis is more common in women and sufferers typically see onset between 40 and 60 years of age. However, rheumatoid arthritis can occur in children as well as the elderly.
Rheumatoid arthritis most often first occurs in the smaller joints. These joints include: hands, wrists, feet, and ankles. With disease progression, larger joints eventually become effected including: knees, hips, elbows, shoulders, neck, and the jaw. There are a variety of symptoms individuals should watch for that may indicate the onset of rheumatoid arthritis.
Joint tenderness, pain and swelling is one of the most common signs of the disease. Redness and puffiness in the hands may also occur. Rheumatoid nodules, hard tissue lumps under the skin especially on the arms, are common. Other less innocuous signs include: morning stiffness, fatigue, weight loss, and fever. In addition to these symptoms, individuals should be aware of the risk factors of this debilitating disease.
As mentioned, gender is a significant risk factor of rheumatoid arthritis, with women much more likely to contract the disease than men. Age too plays a factor, again with those between the ages of 40 and 60 at highest risk. Family history also plays a part. Those who have a family member with rheumatoid arthritis are more predisposed to developing the disease. Lastly, smoking has also been found to be a significant factor in the disease.
Currently, there is not a cure for those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. However, there are a variety of treatment options available that can help in reducing inflammation and relieve associated pain, as well as slow or stop the rate of damage to the joints. Treatment plans most often consist of medications, although surgery is an option in instances where severe joint damage is present. In order to reduce disability from the disease, an aggressive and early treatment plan is recommended.
The medications prescribed vary depending on the severity of the patient's disease, the presenting symptoms, blood test results, x-rays, and the length the patient has been experiencing symptoms. Medications most often prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis include:
- NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)
- Steroids
- DMARDs (Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs)
- Immunosuppressants
- TNF-alpha inhibitors
- Anakinra (Kineret)
- Abatacept (Orencia)
- Rituximab (Rituxan)
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) now recommends minocycline or hydroxychloroquine for those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis for less than a period of two years. They also now recommend sulfasalazine for all levels of rheumatoid arthritis, when the prognosis is not poor. For those with or without a poor prognosis, the ACR recommends the use of leflunomide or methotrexate. Lastly, for those patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis, a combination of TNF-alpha inhibitor and DMARDs is the treatment recommended.
Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, affecting approximately 27 million people in the United States. Also known as degenerative joint disease or osteoarthrosis, it occurs when the cartilage in the joint breaks down. The joints in the body most commonly affected by this type of arthritis are the hands, hips, knees and spine, though it can affect any joint in the body. There is currently no cure for osteoarthritis, however, there are a number of treatment options available to help those who are affected, as well as joint replacement surgery for severe cases. Unlike some types of arthritis, osteoarthritis does not affect internal organs, skin tissue, the eyes, or blood vessels.
Who is affected by osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis occurs in people of all races and gender. It is more prominent in people who are aging and overweight, as well as those who have previously injured a joint. This condition can also be inherited. Osteoarthritis occurs more in women over the age of 55 than in men, and gradually worsens over time. People under the age of 40 rarely develop this type of arthritis.
What are the symptoms of osteoarthritis?
The symptoms of osteoarthritis include inflammation, tenderness, swelling, warmth, loss of flexibility and creaking of the arthritic joint. Pain is also a common occurrence during or after use of the joint. Stiffness commonly occurs after the affected joint has been inactive or at rest for a long period of time. Symptoms of osteoarthritis can be intermittent and vary in degree from mild to severe. In some cases, a sufferer may become debilitated by these symptoms while others may suffer very little. Some sufferers may experience deformity of the affected joint due to the formation of bone spurs.
What causes osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is caused by the degeneration, or wearing down of the cartilage in joints, due to aging or injury. Over time, this cartilage becomes rough or creviced, leading to irritation. Further degeneration of the cartilage could result in total cartilage loss, causing bone to rub against bone. The bones then become damaged, leading to pain, inflammation and limited mobility. In order to slow down, or possibly even prevent osteoarthritis, it's important to maintain a healthy weight, eat healthy, exercise and prevent injury to the joints.
Arthritis Treatments If you are suffering from arthritis pain, there are many arthritis treatments available to you. Whether your doctor recommends prescription medication or over-the-counter pain relievers, a variety of treatments exist to make your life easier. Homeopathic medicines, or "home remedies", can give temporary relief for persistent symptoms, but are generally not recommended as a sole method of treating your arthritis.
Arthritis treatments are usually classified into five different types. Analgesics are simply pain-killers, treating the most debilitating symptom of arthritis. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, address pain as well as inflammation of the joints. Corticosteroids are used to address inflammation directly, sometimes with dramatic results. Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs are used to alter the immune system, providing a number of indirect benefits to arthritis sufferers. The newest form of treatment comes in the form of new biologic drugs called TNF-alpha blockers, developed by pharmaceutical companies specifically to combat the symptoms and progress of arthritis. We'll look at each of these types of medications in depth, as well as a few of the most popular home remedies for arthritis.
Nearly everyone is familiar with over-the-counter analgesics. They are the first line of treatment for arthritis pain, and include familiar products such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Both non-narcotic and narcotic analgesics are used in treatment of arthritis pain, depending on the severity. Analgesics work by interrupting the transmission of pain signals to the brain, essentially "blocking" pain from being transmitted by your nerves to your brain. Most non-narcotic analgesics are available without prescription. If your pain is more severe, your physician may prescribe narcotic analgesics. These include prescription drugs including codeine, oxycodone, and oxycontin, either alone or combined with a non-prescription analgesic to increase their effectiveness. Some recent analgesics have been released in patch form to allow more convenient delivery of pain relief.
NSAIDs include some of the most recognizable prescription arthritis drugs. Their combination of analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and fever-reducing properties make them a good choice for many chronic arthritis patients. Aspirin is often miscategorized as only an analgesic; in fact, both aspirin and ibuprofen belong to both the analgesic and NSAID category due to their anti-inflammatory properties. NSAIDs are usually classed as either salicylates (aspirin falls into this category), traditional NSAIDs, and cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors. Cyclooxygenase occurs naturally in the human body in two forms. COX-1 is instrumental in maintaining health, while COX-2 causes inflammation in arthritis sufferers. Selective COX-2 inhibitors are among the newest prescription treatments for arthritis.
First tested as a treatment for arthritis in 1948, corticosteroids were once among the most common arthritis treatments. Given orally or injected directly into the joints, they can give near-instant relief to both inflammation and joint pain. Corticosteroids affect the immune system directly by suppressing allergic responses, preventing inflammation. But this suppression of the immune system can cause serious side effects, including increased likelihood of infection. As a result, their use has lessened in recent years.
Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, or DMARDs, are powerful medications. They are usually used after other treatments have failed to control arthritis symptoms. It is not clearly understood how DMARDs work, but the general consensus is that they alter the immune system indirectly, allowing patients to experience relief from inflammation and pain. The most commonly used DMARD, gold, was first discovered over fifty years ago by Jacques Forrestier, who was seeking a cure for tuberculosis. He observed that injections of gold salts helped ease the arthritis symptoms of his patients, and gold has been used for arthritis treatment ever since.
TNF-alpha blockers are used in immunotherapy. As arthritis treatments, they stimulate the body's natural immune system, allowing it to better fight off disease and infection. Often touted as a panacea, TNF-alpha blockers do have near-miraculous effects on many arthritis patients, eliminating pain and inflammation. While they cannot reverse existing damage, they can often produce long remissions without pain or symptoms. However, as with any biologic medicine, there are serious side effects. Your physician can tell you if TNF-alpha blockers are the right choice for you.
Traditional arthritis treatments are best in most cases. Your physician can outline a treatment program that will control pain and inflammation and provide the most beneficial results. If you are interested in alternative therapies, please consult your physician first to ensure they will not interfere with your existing treatment plan.
Some patients report good results from acupuncture, acupressure, or massage treatments. First practiced in China over 2000 years ago, these treatments may give some short-term relief; however, they do not address the root causes of arthritis pain, including inflammation and swelling. Additionally, your insurance may not pay for these treatments, which can be quite expensive. Hypnotherapy can also give short-term relief for some arthritis sufferers. Various diets have been recommended as arthritis treatments, but there is no solid evidence that these have any effect on arthritis pain or symptoms.
Your best source of information for arthritis treatments is your physician. Your doctor is informed on the latest treatments and medications, and can design an arthritis treatment plan that is best for your particular case.
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