Arthritis Advice

There are many different kinds of arthritis, each with different symptoms and treatments. Arthritis can attack joints in almost any part of the body. Some forms of arthritis cause changes you can see and feel – swelling, warmth, and redness in your joints. In some cases, the pain and swelling lasts only a short-time, but may be very painful. Other types cause less severe symptoms, but nevertheless, still slowly damage your joints.

The most common type of arthritis is Osteothritis (OA). It usually affects older people, and starts when cartilage begins to become ragged and wears away. Cartilage is the tissue that pads bones in a joint. OA symptoms can range from stiffness and mild pain that comes and goes with activity to severe joint pain that stays even when you are at rest.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease. This means your body attacks the lining of a joint just as it would if it was trying to protect you from injury or disease. RA leads to inflammation in your joints. This inflammation causes pain, swelling, and stiffness that last for hours, and it may occur in many different joints at the same time. People with RA often do not feel well. They may be tired and run a fever. People of any age can develop RA, and it is more common in women.

Gout is one of the most painful forms of arthritis. It begins when crystals of uric acid form in the connective tissue and / or joint spaces. These deposits lead to swelling, redness, heat, pain and stiffness. Gout attacks often strike after eating foods like shellfish, liver, dried beans, peas, anchovies, or gravy. Also, being overweight and certain medications can make Gout worse. Most often Gout presents in the big toe, but it can affect other joints.

Other forms of arthritis include psoriatic arthritis (in people with the skin condition psoriasis), ankylosing spondylitis (affecting the spine), reactive arthritis (occurring as a result of another condition in the body), and arthritis in the temperomandibular joint (where the jaw joins the skull).

Warning Signs

You might have some form of arthritis if you have:

Lasting joint pain
Joint swelling
Joint stiffness
Tenderness or pain when touching a joint
Problems moving the joint normally
Warmth and redness in a joint

If any of these symptoms persist, you should see your doctor. If you have these symptoms and also a fever, or feel physically ill, you should see your doctor sooner.

Treating Arthritis

Each kind of arthritis is handled differently, but there are also some common treatment choices. Rest, exercise, eating a healthy, well balanced diet, and learning the right way to protect your joints are keys to living with any type of arthritis.

Regarding medicines for arthritis, there are Acetaminophens which can safely ease arthritis pain, and NSAIDS, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The may be sold over the counter, but stronger doses must be sold with a prescription. In 2005, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) warned people about the dangers of NSAIDS. It is important you understand the potential side effects and discuss with your doctor the side effects and how to take this medicine. You can also check with the FDA on the latest information about these drugs and their risks.

Specific treatments for each arthritis-type are the following:

Osteoarthritis – Medicines, as noted above, can help relieve pain from OA, and diet and exercise will make it easier for you to move your joints. Sometimes your doctor might give you injections in the site, and some might require repair or replacement of damaged joints.

Rheumatoid Arthritis – In addition to pain medications, your doctor may suggest antirheumatic drugs called DMARDs (disease modifying antirheumatic drugs). These drugs can slow progression of the disease. In addition to DMARDs, drugs like prednisone can ease swelling until the DMARDs take effect. There are also biologic response modifiers that block damage done by the immune system.

Gout – In gout, you need to discuss with your doctor the possible reason for your gout, and how to prevent future attacks. While in the acute stage, you might be given NSAIDs or corticosteroids, such as prednisone. The attacks usually last only a few days.

Exercise can help many forms of arthritis, along with taking the right medicine and properly resting your joints. Exercise keeps muscles strong, and controls arthritis symptoms. There are various types of exercises that can help including: range-of-motion, strengthening exercises, and aerobic or endurance exercises. You can contact the National Institute of Aging (NIA) for an 80-page booklet on how to treat and stick with a safe exercise program.

Beware of unproven remedies that have not been thoroughly tested. Keep up with future research. Some promising therapies such as acupuncture may ease OA pain for some people, and the use of glucosamine and chondroitin, two dietary supplements, may help lessen your OA pain. Scientists are currently studying these alternative supplements.

Most importantly, talk to your doctor about your symptoms and possibly remedies, so that you can work together to safely lessen pain and prevent more serious damage to your joints.

For further information, check on these resources about arthritis:

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicines
888-644-6226 (toll-free)
866-464-3615 (TTY toll-free)
www.nccam.nih.gove

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
877-226-4267 (Toll free)
301-565-2966 (TTY)
www.niams.nih.gov

American College of Rheumatology / Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals
404-633-3777
www.rheumatology.org

Arthritis Foundation
800-568-4045
www.arthritis.org

National Institute on Aging Information Center
800-222-2225 (Toll free)
800-222-4225 (TTY Toll free)

To order publications (in English or Spanish) or sign up for regular e-mail alerts, visit www.niapublications.org.

The National Institute of Aging website is: www.nia.nih.gov

Also visit the NIH Senior Health website: www.nihseniorhealth.gov, a senior-friendly website from the National Institute on Aging. It features popular health topics for older adults. It also has large type and a “talking” function that reads the text out loud.

(Summarized from AGE PAGE, May 2005, pgs 1-14. Health and Human Services Department (HHS) and National Institute of Aging (NIA)
SuDoc Number: HE 20.3861:AR 7/2005)
Article 2 (759 Word w/o Resources – 810 w/ resources)