Eight common types of arthritis everyone should know
Arthritis is one of the most common diseases in the world today, and while you might be familiar with what the disease does in general, not everyone is aware of the most common types.
Diagnosing arthritis can be tricky, as many people do not consider getting themselves checked until the disease progresses too far. The main reason why that happens is that arthritis often starts off as aches and soreness, which is very similar to how you would feel after you run a marathon or work out at the gym.
Many people would just brush this off, and months later they discover it is arthritis and has progressed too far. In this article we will discuss everything you should know about eight of the most common arthritis types, including the early symptoms.
1) Osteoarthritis
By far, the most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis. This type of arthritis starts off as joint soreness, morning stiffness, increasing disability, and lack of coordination. It can affect the hands, knees, hips, and spine. Since it is most common, the medication for osteoarthritis is the one that has been worked on the most, and many patients show a successful reduction in progression if diagnosed early.
2) Rheumatoid arthritis
While rheumatoid arthritis is not as common as osteoarthritis, it is still quite problematic, as it affects more areas. Hands, knees, wrists, and later on, eyes, lungs, heart, skin, and blood vessels can be affected. Unlike most types of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis impacts both sides of the body.
When it comes to the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, they start off as morning stiffness and joint pain. Later, the joint pain causes deformities and patients usually have trouble sleeping. As the disease progresses, nodules can be noticed under the skin, and numbness, warmth, and tingling in hands and feet are other symptoms that appear as well.
3) Juvenile arthritis
Muscle and soft tissue tightness are what is usually noticed first when it comes to juvenile arthritis. While this arthritis is not necessarily a specific type, it is a term used for all types of arthritis that affect children. With that in mind, depending on the type a child is affected by, different areas of the body can be affected too.
4) Ankylosing spondylitis
Patients who have ankylosing spondylitis report that the pain will almost always start in the lower spine, and the longer they are inactive, the pain will get worse. While it is not as common as the previously mentioned types, ankylosing spondylitis is quite difficult to live with, as it affects the spine, pelvis, and back.
5) Systemic lupus erythematosus
One of the most complex arthritis types that can affect pretty much any organ is systemic lupus erythematosus. This arthritis can affect the joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, lungs, and heart, and there are no rules in which order organs are affected.
When it comes to the symptoms, SLE is quite difficult to diagnose as the symptoms are shared with some of the most common diseases that can appear at any age. Fatigue, joint pain, swelling, hair loss, mouth sores, facial pain, swollen lymph nodes, and many other symptoms are a part of diagnosing SLE.
6) Gout
A relatively common type of arthritis due to how a lot of people lead their life today is gout. This arthritis is caused by uric acid that is not properly filtered out of the body. The most common place for gout to appear is the big toe, and the way that it manifests itself is by uric acid forming crystals which cause damage to nearby tissue.
Luckily, gout Is one type of arthritis that is very easy to manage, and if you visit a gout doctor, they will most likely prescribe you some anti-inflammatory drugs that are going to help you with gout. Once you start taking treatment, changing your lifestyle should prevent the disease from progressing.
7) Reactive arthritis
Pain, stiffness, eye inflammation, urinary problems, and skin problems are just some of the symptoms of reactive arthritis. This type of arthritis is usually affecting the lower extremities, especially the joints of the knees and ankles.
8) Psoriatic arthritis
The most common area that psoriatic arthritis tends to affect is the fingers. However, other parts of the body can be involved as well, and when they are, the disease most commonly progresses towards the spine. Patients with psoriatic arthritis will feel stiffness, fatigue, and painful joints in their fingers.
Make sure you are familiar with arthritis
There should certainly be an increase in awareness related to arthritis, as arthritis is one of the most common diseases in the world. While we mentioned the most common types, there are many others that are similar to the ones we mentioned.
If you notice any kind of consistent stiffness or fatigue in a part of your body, it is never a bad idea to consult with your doctor.
