Discovering Arthritis - An Informative Guide

One of the most common misconceptions is that arthritis is a single condition. Actually, it's a group of conditions in which bones and joints have been damaged by adverse conditions. Typically, arthritis occurs in older people but it can develop in younger people too. Due to its widespread commonality, people must always be watching out for it.

Types of Arthritis

There's several types of arthritis with the most common being rheumatoid arthritis, gouty arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory condition that causes an immune system to turn on itself. It is one of the most painful and disabling kinds of arthritis.

It is a systematic disease, which means that it also affects additional articular tissues across the body including blood vessels and skin. The cause is still not known but it is widely believed to be infectious.

Unlike its counterparts, Psoriatic arthritis affects people who are afflicted by psoriasis which is a ruthless dry skin condition. Treatment for Psoriatic arthritis is similar to the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis whereby the reduction and management of the inflammation that is controlled by the disease is the main focus of treatment.  

Gouty arthritis, on the other hand, is not the same in that it is caused by a congenital disorder. The classic symptoms are swelling, burning pain, inflammation and stiffness of the joints surrounding the area. It often affects several parts of the body in particular the knees, ankles, wrists, elbows, fingers, and spine.

Diagnosing Arthritis

Prior to being allocated the correct form of treatment for your condition, there must be a medical diagnosis. This can be done as soon as your doctor has carried out a routine set of tests. X-rays and blood tests are used in the forming of the final diagnosis whilst the screening blood tests may also prove beneficial if other arthritides are suspected.

Whilst there is no definitive form of prevention, there are several things that can be done to help you guard against the formation of the disease. One example would be making sure that you are taking in enough calcium, which will be helping to keep your bones strong and healthy. Strong and healthy bones will be much less likely to develop an arthritic condition.

If you suspect any form of arthritis, you must make sure that you make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as you can. This will allow him to make a proper diagnosis and assessment and put you on the correct course of treatment to help the relief of your symptoms.