A common misconception about arthritis is that people tend to think that it is a singular condition. But it is not; it is a category. Arthritis contains a series of over 100 conditions. What they all do have in common though, is that they all cause pain and stiffness. They are all of an inflammatory nature and they all involve the joints.
The Most Common Type: Osteoarthritis
As within any category of degenerative conditions or diseases, some types are more common than others. With arthritis, the primary type is osteoarthritis. One of the biggest risk factors for this type of inflammation is age. With age comes wear and tear, and as you get older, your body’s ability to regenerate new, healthy cells slows down.
Just under 10 percent of men and 18 percent of women over the age of 60 have osteoarthritis worldwide. With the population aging in many countries due to longer lifespans, this number is only going to increase.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is the second most common type. This is not caused by wear and tear over time, but rather is an autoimmune disease. The affected person’s immune system is attacking tissue that it is mistaking for a foreign invader, including joint tissue.
The cause of this is uncertain, but if not managed or treated, this condition can cause severe damage to the joints.
Lupus
Lupus, like Rheumatoid Arthritis, is also an autoimmune disease. This condition is not limited to the joints and can attack several organs in the body and induce flare-ups.
The cause or causes of Lupus are also unknown. However, it is far more prevalent in females than in males. Most often, it first shows up in women between the ages of 15 and 44. Other symptoms of lupus are:
- Fatigue
- Rashes
- Mouth sores
- Swelling
- Hair loss
- Increased sun sensitivity
Over 5 million people globally have lupus. Systemic lupus erythematosus is the most common type.
Gout
The source of the arthritic condition known as gout is caused by a uric acid build-up in the system. When an attack happens, it will typically last three days to a week and a half. When the patient initially acquires gout, attacks are usually very infrequent; months or even years may pass between episodes.
Treating Your Arthritis
Your doctor will prescribe specific medical treatment for your arthritis based on its cause. A therapy that is currently being explored to help with conditions of arthritis is stem cell therapy. With direct injections into a patient’s joints, new cell growth has the potential to be encouraged. Some patients have found this to be helpful for inflammation and pain as well as condition management.
This post was written by a medical professional at Stemedix Inc. At Stemedix we provide access to Regenerative Medicine for osteoarthritis, also known as stem cell therapy for Osteoarthritis. Regenerative medicine has the natural potential to help improve symptoms sometimes lost from the progression of many conditions.
