How Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Affect The Entire Body
Like many autoimmune diseases, rheumatoid arthritis typically waxes and wanes. Most people with rheumatoid arthritis experience periods when their symptoms worsen separated by periods in which the symptoms improve. With successful treatment, symptoms may even go away completely .
Although rheumatoid arthritis can have many different symptoms, joints are always affected. Rheumatoid arthritis almost always affects the joints of the hands , wrists, elbows, knees, ankles, and/or feet. The larger joints, such as the shoulders, hips, and jaw, may be affected. The vertebrae of the neck are sometimes involved in people who have had the disease for many years. Usually at least two or three different joints are involved on both sides of the body, often in a symmetrical pattern. The usual joint symptoms include the following:
These symptoms may keep someone from being able to carry out normal activities. General symptoms include the following:
- Malaise
What Is Osteoarthritis Of The Knee
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, and the knee is one of the most commonly affected joints.
Everyones joints go through a normal cycle of damage and repair during their lifetime, but sometimes the bodys process to repair our joints can cause changes in their shape or structure. When these changes happen in one or more of your joints, its known as osteoarthritis.
A joint is a part of the body where two or more bones meet in your knee, its the thigh and shin bones. There is also a small bone at the front of the knee called the patella or kneecap.
The ends of our bones are covered in a smooth and slippery surface, known as cartilage . This allows the bones to move against each other without friction, and protects your joint from stress.
Your knee also has two other rings of a different type of cartilage known as menisci or meniscus, which help to share weight evenly across your knee joint, and theres also cartilage underneath your kneecap.
Osteoarthritis causes the cartilage in your knee joint to thin and the surfaces of the joint to become rougher, which means that the knee doesnt move as smoothly as it should, and it might feel painful and stiff.
Osteoarthritis can affect anyone at any age, but its more common in women over 50.
Injuries or other joint problems, such as gout, can make people more likely to get osteoarthritis. The genes we inherit from our parents can also increase the risk of the condition developing.
What Happens When Someone Has Jia
People with JIA may have pain and stiffness that can change from day to day or from morning to afternoon. These symptoms can come and go. When the condition becomes more active and the symptoms worsen, itâs known as a âflareâ or a âflare-up.â
JIA often causes only minor problems, but in some cases it can cause serious joint damage or limit growth. Although JIA mostly affects the joints and surrounding tissues, it can also affect other organs, like the eyes, liver, heart, and lungs.
JIA is a condition, meaning it can last for months and years. Sometimes the symptoms just go away with treatment, which is known as remission. Remission may last for months, years, or a personâs lifetime. In fact, many teens with JIA eventually enter full remission with little or no permanent joint damage.
Page two
Also Check: What’s Good For Arthritis In The Knee
Articles On Knee Osteoarthritis
While age is a major risk factor for osteoarthritis of the knee, young people can get it, too. For some individuals, it may be hereditary. For others, osteoarthritis of the knee can result from injury or infection or even from being overweight. Here are answers to your questions about knee osteoarthritis, including how it’s treated and what you can do at home to ease the pain.
Can Arthritis Represent A Medical Emergency
In the situation that the patient presents high fever, severe inflammation and leg pain, he/she might suffer from what is known as septic arthritis.
This is a medical emergency, requiring immediate intervention if the condition is not treated in due time, life-threatening symptoms can occur and the risk of death becomes considerably higher.
It is common for the joints of the hip and knee to be affected by this infection, with a negative impact on the entire leg.
This condition is present in both children and adults, especially in those who have a compromised immune system.
You May Like: Rollator Knee Scooter
But Wait Ra Gets More Complicated: Symptoms And Causes
Rheumatoid arthritis can be complex. The specific reasons why some people develop it and others dont remain unknown. However, the medical community does know what may increase the risk and likelihood of developing the disease, such as having more levels of whats called rheumatoid factor in your blood .
In addition, while RA is considered a chronic condition meaning it has no cure and will never fully go away how severe the symptoms get differ from person to person, and flares may wax and wane. For example, when the disease is more active , symptoms become worse. When symptoms disappear, either on their own or with treatment, patients go into remission.3
Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Since RA is an autoimmune disorder that attacks ones own body tissues, researchers are focusing on why these mistakes occur.5
One factor that may play a role in the development of RA is that many people with the condition have higher levels of an antibody in their immune system: enter rheumatoid factor or RF for short. Low levels of this antibody can be present in healthy individuals or in people with other inflammatory conditions, but individuals with RA have higher levels of RF, as well as another antibody, the anti-CCP antibody. Both antibodies are signs of hyperactive immunity doctors use them to help confirm the diagnosis of RA.
Despite the unknowns about the causes of RA, there are some risk factors for developing this condition:6-10
Recommended Reading: Dcf Compression Knee Sleeve
Ra Symptoms Often Include More Than Joint Pain
Since rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease, it will progress aggressively if not treated early on. According to a study published in a 2018 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, Early diagnosis and treatment of RA can avert or substantially slow progression of joint damage in up to 90 percent of patients, thereby preventing irreversible disability. All the more reason to recognize RAs pain symptoms many of which you might not associate with arthritis pain. These can include:
- Joint pain that occurs on both sides of the body, such as both feet, ankles, wrists, or fingers
RELATED: What Are Rheumatic Diseases? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention
Recommended Reading: What Is Chondrocalcinosis Of The Knee
What Causes Knee Pain In Young Adults
Knee pain in your 20s is often associated with overuse injuries. When the muscles, ligaments or tendons are overworked, pain, stiffness and other symptoms can develop pretty quickly. Tendonitis and bursitis are a couple of overuse injuries that are most commonly associated with strenuous activity. But they can also occur in relatively inactive people who ramp up their activity too quickly. Still, while these types of injuries are fairly common in young adults, theyre not the only causes of knee pain.
What Does Knee Pain Caused By Arthritis Feel Like
With the immense amount of pressure and strain put on our knees day after day and year after year, it is not surprising that knee pain is such a widespread complaint in men and women of all ages in Atlanta, GA. While there are certainly some more serious causes of knee pain, in a large number of people, knee pain is temporary and, relatively, harmless. However, if you think the pain in your knees may be caused by arthritis, here are a few telltale signs and symptoms to watch for:
Read Also: What Rebuilds Cartilage
S Of The Gout For Better Understanding
Heres few pictures of the gout!
If you have pain, swelling and redness at the base of the great toe then most likely it is due to gout. It not only affects this joint but initially it may affect small joints of fingers of hand and leg, in the later stage, it may also affect large joints such as the ankle, knee wrist and elbow joint.
Gout happens due to increased blood uric acid level. Pharmacological management focuses on controlling the blood uric acid level but being a physiotherapist I will also suggest few home tips and exercises that will prevent the joint swelling, pain and most important is joint stiffness.
So, lets get started.
You May Like: How Soon Can I Shower After Knee Replacement Surgery
What Causes Joint Pain
The most common causes of chronic pain in joints are:
- Osteoarthritis, a common type of arthritis, happens over time when the cartilage, the protective cushion in between the bones, wears away. The joints become painful and stiff. Osteoarthritis develops slowly and usually occurs during middle age.
- Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease that causes swelling and pain in the joints. Often the joints become deformed .
- Goutis a painful condition where crystals from the body collect in the joint, causing severe pain and swelling. This usually occurs in the big toe.
- Bursitisis caused by overuse. It is usually found in the hip, knee, elbow, or shoulder.
- Viral infections, rash, or fever may make joint movement painful.
- Injuries, such as broken bones or sprains
- Tendinitis is an inflammation of the tendons, or the flexible bands that connect bone and muscle. It is typically seen in the elbow, heel, or shoulder and is usually caused by overuse.
Read Also: Nano Knee Cost
What Other Types Of Knee Exercises Work Best
Walking is an excellent form of exercise. Its low-impact, and because its a weight-bearing exercise, it helps strengthen muscles and build bone. Wear good, sturdy shoes. Start out slow, and gradually increase your pace and distance for best results.
Water exercises or walking in the shallow end of a pool are also great for muscle strength and knee flexibility. Because the body is buoyant in water, it lessens impact to near zero as it makes you work a little harder to move.
Preventing Arthritis Of The Knee
Don’t Miss: Is Nano Knee Covered By Medicare
What Does The Pain Of Arthritis Feel Like
With the passage of time and the aging of our body, the symptoms of pain and stiffness in our joints appear. The wear of bones, cartilage, tendons or tissue at a certain age produces swelling, heaviness and loss of mobility. With aging they appear not to have pain during youth and we must learn to live with them. What does the pain of arthritis feel like?. If you feel your sore joints, it takes you back or you have swollen limbs, this is also evidence that you are suffering from this disease. Pay attention!
Usually, arthritis is caused by inflammationtissue lining our joints. While there are different types of arthritis, as discussed below, the symptoms that occur usually are pain, redness, swelling and stiffness.
You know that arthritis is not a single disease, but may be living together with many others. However, the pain caused by this disease must be accepted and you must try to surpass them, as it is a symptom of old age and does not prevent most people from doing their everyday activities, although we may feel slower, somewhat stiff and sore.
The most common types of arthritis are:
Pain is a clear sign that something is happening in our body. In the case of arthritis, symptoms are combined into a joint pain and general discomfort. In addition to general symptoms that we have seen previously, arthritis can lead to patient weight loss, fever, rash and even difficulty breathing, which can go hand in hand with loss of mobility.
What Causes Sharp Stabbing Pain In The Knee That Comes And Goes
There are all kinds of causes for this specific type of pain in your knee. As we covered right off the bat, the knee is a very complex joint that has many, many different components.
So, think about which side of the knee you feel pain in. If you feel it on the back of your knee, for example, it could be an issue with your ACL.
If your pain seems to be just radiating from the knee in general and you cant necessarily pinpoint the exact location, it may be something more general, like arthritis.
Obviously, a trip to the doctor to get tests performed, along with an x-ray, are your best bet. This way, you can come up with a tailored treatment plan, rule out surgery, and get back to feeling better and doing the things you love. But in the meantime, here are some things you may want to look into.
Also Check: Whiten Knees Fast
Exercising At Home Or Work
The best knee exercises may be the ones you can do at home or even during a break at the office. Theyre easy, effective, and convenient, and dont require any special equipment. Do them slowly and gradually increase the number of repetitions as your muscles get stronger.
Afterward, be sure to do a few gentle stretching exercises to help prevent your muscles from tightening up. Consider exercising your knees every other day to give sore muscles a rest.
Why Does My Knee Hurt When I Bend My Knee
iliotibial band syndrome, which can cause burning pain outside of your knee that spreads to your hip or thigh hamstring tendonitis, which leads to pain behind your knee and thigh quadriceps tendonitis, which causes pain above or in front of your knee knee bursitis, which may cause swelling, warmth, and pain over or below the knee
You May Like: How To Get Rid Of Fat Around Knees
What Kinds Of Arthritis Can Occur In The Knee
In the case of knee pain, one of the most common culprits is arthritis. There are three types of arthritis that can occur in the knee, and it is not unheard for patients to have multiple arthritic conditions present at the same time. The three kinds of arthritis that often develop in the knees include:
- Osteoarthritis : A slow-acting, progressive wear-and-tear process that deteriorates joint cartilage. Middle-aged and older patients are the most likely group to develop OA.
- Rheumatoid arthritis : RA can occur at any age. This inflammatory process can be marked by painful swelling in the joints.
- Post-traumatic arthritis: Patients who have a significant knee injury, such as a fracture, torn ligament, or torn meniscus, may develop post-traumatic arthritis. This can occur many years after the injury itself.
Ra Is A Constant Companion
The thing to understand about RA is that it is always there and it is a constant companion for most of us. Some days might better than others, but most of us have pain and symptoms every single day.
I have pain every day. Some days, it is mild, and I can do a lot not as much as someone without RA, but a lot more than usual. Even on the days where it the pain and fatigue are bad, I try to put on my best face and deal with it because I dont have a choice.
There are times where it seems I am flaring all the time and some flares seem to last days or even weeks. And in all these nine years of living with this disease, I have had a handful of flares that have gone on for months.
Recommended Reading: Rollator Knee Scooter
Don’t Miss: How To Whiten Knees Fast
Treating Arthritis Of The Knee