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1. What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a disease that damages the joints. It is the most common connective tissue disease. It can affect any joint in the body, and commonly affects the back.
2. What causes osteoarthritis?
The causes of osteoarthritis are still unclear. The triggering factor is a lesion of the articular cartilage. Cartilage is the connective tissue located at the point of contact between the bone’s surfaces. Their opposing surfaces glide smoothly on each other. In healthy conditions, the cartilage is continuously renewed, keeping a balance between absorption and production of new cartilage. When cartilage wears down, the bone surfaces scrape against one another, causing intense pain and restricted motion of the joint.
3. What are the symptoms of osteoarthritis?
The main symptoms of this disease are pain (especially during motion), joint stiffness (especially after rest), gradual loss of joint function, swelling, a grating sensation in the joint and reduced mobility.
4. What is rheumatoid arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease of the immune system. Its causes are still unknown. It is a chronic inflammation of the joints. It provokes inflammation and deformation of the joints. The disease affects the fingers, hands, wrists, feet, ankles, neck, elbows and knees, It occurs with pain to the area involved, and is accompanied by swelling and stiffness. But it can also cause general malaise, with loss of weight and appetite, fever and aching.
5. How can rheumatoid arthritis be treated?
Rheumatoid arthritis should be diagnosed and treated promptly. Treatment aims to arrest the course of the disease and reduce symptoms. However, there is no specific treatment for the disorder. Therapy includes pain relief, patient education and rehabilitation. Drug therapy comprises administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The most widely indicated is acetylsalicylic acid, or aspirin. Antirheumatic drugs can modify the course of the disease; corticosteroid therapy is also useful.
6. What is Cervical Arthritis?
The scientific name of what is commonly known as Cervical Arthritis is “Cervical Spondylosis” Cervical Arthritis is a type of arthritis that affects the seven cervical vertebrae, the vertebrae of the neck, and the intervertebral discs that separate them.
7. What are the symptoms of Cervical Arthritis?
The most common symptoms of Cervical Arthritis are:
- Persistent neck pain that may sometimes radiate to the arms or shoulder.
- Increasing neck stiffness that can limit the movement of the neck.
- Headaches, particularly in the back of the head.
8. Can Cervical Arthritis be prevented?
There is not much that can be done to prevent Cervical Arthritis other than avoiding those type of activities that pose risk of injuries to the neck area or place too much pressure on the head.
9. What is Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is arthritis that causes joint inflammation and stiffness for more than 6 weeks in a child of 16 years of age or less.
Inflammation causes redness, swelling, warmth, and soreness in the joints, although many children with JRA do not complain of joint pain. Any joint can be affected and inflammation may limit the mobility of affected joints. One type of JRA can also affect the internal organs.
10. What treatments are available for Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Several types of medications are available to treat Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
If NSAIDs do not relieve symptoms of JRA, the doctor is likely to prescribe this type of medication.
- Corticosteroids
In children with very severe JRA, stronger medicines may be needed to stop serious symptoms such as inflammation of the sac around the heart (pericarditis)
- Biologic agents
Children with polyarticular JRA who have gotten little relief from other drugs may be given one of a new class of drug treatments called "biologic agents."
- Physical therapy
Exercise is an important part of a child's treatment plan. It can help to maintain muscle tone and preserve and recover the range of motion of the joints. A physiatrist (rehabilitation specialist) or a physical therapist can design an appropriate exercise program for a person with JRA. The specialist also may recommend using splints and other devices to help maintain normal bone and joint growth.
- Complementary and alternative medicine
Many adults seek alternative ways of treating arthritis, such as special diets or supplements. Although these methods may not be harmful in and of themselves, no research to date shows that they help.
11. What is Reactive Arthritis?
Reactive arthritis is a form of arthritis, or joint inflammation, that occurs as a "reaction" to an infection elsewhere in the body.
Reactive arthritis is also known as Reiter's syndrome, and your doctor may refer to it by yet another term, as a seronegative spondyloarthropathy. The seronegative spondyloarthropathies are a group of disorders that can cause inflammation throughout the body, especially in the spine.
12. What is the prognosis for people who have Reactive Arthritis?
Most people with reactive arthritis recover fully from the initial flare of symptoms and are able to return to regular activities 2 to 6 months after the first symptoms appear. In such cases, the symptoms of arthritis may last up to 12 months, although these are usually very mild and do not interfere with daily activities. Approximately 20 percent of people with reactive arthritis will have chronic (long-term) arthritis, which usually is mild. Studies show that between 15 and 50 percent of patients will develop symptoms again sometime after the initial flare has disappeared. It is possible that such relapses may be due to reinfection. Back pain and arthritis are the symptoms that most commonly reappear. A small percentage of patients will have chronic, severe arthritis that is difficult to control with treatment and may cause joint deformity.
Reactive arthritis is also known as Reiter's syndrome, and your doctor may refer to it by yet another term, as a seronegative spondyloarthropathy. The seronegative spondyloarthropathies are a group of disorders that can cause inflammation throughout the body, especially in the spine.
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