Health For Women - Arthritis

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Arthritis

What is it?

Arthritis literally means ‘inflammation of the joint’. There are approximately 150 conditions that can be classified as arthritis. The most common symptoms are pain, swelling and stiffness in one or more joints, and fatigue. Three of the most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It occurs when a joint between two bones becomes worn (the cartilage becomes damaged). It mainly affects women and those over the age of 45, however most people will have some symptoms with increasing age. It usually occurs in the fingers and large weight-bearing joints such as the hips, shoulders, knees, and lower spine and can also occur when a joint has been previously injured.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis causes inflammation around joints and other organs of the body and occurs when the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues. When this happens, the tissue surrounding a joint (the ‘synovial membrane’) becomes thickened and inflamed. This causes the body to produce larger than normal amounts of fluid in the joints (‘synovial fluid’) which leads to swelling, pain and stiffness. Rheumatoid arthritis is most common between the ages of 25 to 50 and women are three times as likely as men to develop it.

Gout

Gout occurs when there are increased levels of uric acid in the blood which the body cannot excrete, causing tiny crystals of uric acid to crystallise in the joints. This causes irritation, pain and tissue inflammation. It usually affects one joint at a time, commonly beginning with the joint of the big toe; although it can go on to affect the ankles, knees and hands. It is more common in men, particularly between the ages of 40 to 50. If women develop gout it tends to be after menopause.

Management of arthritic conditions

There are many treatments available for arthritis which can help to ease pain, maintain flexibility and slow further development. Treatments may include: