The condition of arthritis is defined as a problem with the musculoskeletal system where there is stiffness, inflammation, pain and damage to the cartilage in the joints. The bones are protected in the joints by tissue called cartilage which acts as a buffer between the ends. Cartilage cells are called Chondrocytes and their needs are same as the other organs and glands in the body. All chondrocytes have a life cycle and when they die, new ones are made to take their place.
When there is long time inflammation, cartilage cells are destroyed and die faster than the body's ability to replace them. This is especially true if there has been an injury or there is not enough proper nutrients in the body to repair the joint. The condition causes damage where instability, deformities and joint weakness can obstruct daily life. Arthritis is normally treated with physical therapy, medication and includes changes to the person's way of life or lifestyle. If an arthritis patient does not get any relief from medication and other forms of therapies then the last option they can resort to is joint replacement.
Arthritis is divided into two main categories, i.e. localized and generalized depending on areas affected. It is further subdivided into sub-categories. One of the sub-categories is localized conditions which only affect the soft tissue that surrounds the bones or joints, and is used to relate to conditions like tendonitis or bursitis. Another sub-category of the localized conditions only affects one or only a few joints, such as a knee or hip. One of the foremost sub-categories of generalized arthritis is a condition that affects muscle and soft tissue without swelling or inflammation. This condition does not indicate joint damage. A common type of arthritis in this category is fibromyalgia.
The second sub category is one where there is inflammation and the whole body is affected. Under this category, rheumatoid arthritis would be an example of a condition you would see, along with psoriatic arthritis and gout. Other generalized conditions are polymyositis (muscles); systemic lupus erythematosus (skin, kidneys, or other organs); and vasculitis (any organ).
An individual is capable of having more than just one arthritis type and it includes over one hundred different medical conditions that are known to affect roughly forty six million adults and three hundred thousand children within the United States. The condition is most common as osteoarthritis in adults age 60 and above but it can start as early as infancy. The number of people suffering out of this condition is increasing proportionally with the increasing average age of the American population. With old age setting in people suffering with arthritis is increasing day by day.
There are about a 100 medical conditions that have affected about 46 million adults and 300,000 children in the US. A person can have more than one type of arthritis. This condition can start as early as infancy, while it is most common among adults over 60, primarily in the form of osteoarthritis. As the American population ages, the number of people suffering with it is increasing.
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