Arthritis Is More Commonly Seen In The Elderly Than In Young Adults
Arthritis is a blanket term used to describe joint disease. In many cases, young adults will attribute symptoms they may be experiencing as something else and try to push through their pains. This can prolong a correct diagnosis of the source of symptoms.
While a vast majority of people think of a grandmothers elderly hands or their grandfathers weak knees as arthritis, its much more than a disease of old age.
When Should I See My Doctor
Joints get sore and swollen for many reasons. It could be due to an injury, overuse, or doing a new type of physical activity.
See your doctor if you have pain and stiffness that starts with no clear reason, lasts for more than a few days, and also causes swelling, redness and warmth. It is important to start treatment as soon as possible to prevent the condition from getting worse and causing long-term damage.
Symptoms By Body Part
The most commonly affected areas during the onset of RA are the small joints in your hands and feet. This is where you may first feel stiffness and an ache.
Its also possible for RA inflammation to affect your knees and hips. Because the disease presents differently in different people, it can go on to affect almost any joint.
Your organs are another area that can be disrupted by RA inflammation:
- Your heart muscle can become damaged.
- Your lungs can become scarred.
- Blood vessel damage can lead to subsequent skin and nerve issues.
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Cell And Tissue Aging And The Development Of Oa
Most of the conditions associated with aging, OA included, result from an age-related loss in the ability of cells and tissues in the body to maintain homeostasis, particularly when put under stress . In OA, excessive or abnormal mechanical stresses clearly play a key role in the development of the disease . Under conditions where an anatomically normal joint is stressed, the joint tissues appear to be capable of adapting to stress without resulting in OA. As an example of successful adaptation, the chronic repetitive loads endured by long distance runners do not appear to result in OA later in life . But joint stress resulting from abnormal load distribution or abnormal joint anatomy clearly contributes to OA. In the knee, a varus alignment is strongly associated with the development of medial compartment disease while valgus alignment predisposes to lateral compartment disease . Malalignment appears to be particularly important in individuals who are also overweight or obese .
What Are The 4 Stages Of Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis has been divided into four stages based on etiopathogenesis as well as clinical features. Initially, etiopathogenesis had only 3 stages but now the 4th stage has also been added. Firstly, the pathogenic stages have been described:
Stage 1: Due to the ongoing stress on the joint involved, there is a starting of the proteolytic breakdown of the cartilage matrix which is usually localized at a particular site but can be generalized also.
Stage 2: After the breakdown of cartilage has progressed, there is the erosion of the surface of the cartilage and the breakdown products such as proteoglycans and collagen fragments start making in the joint space.
Stage 3: These breakdown products of the synovial cartilage start a process of chronic inflammation in the joint space which will increase the further breakdown rate. The damage in the joint space worsens and the compensatory mechanism starts to fall apart.
Stage 4: To control the damage occurring to the cartilage surface and reduce the inflammatory process, there is starting of the ossification process at the site leading to bony spur formation. The body tries to help the condition by replacing the original tissue with a hard substitute but in the prices causes more harm than good.
Clinical stages have also been classified into four categories and nearly corresponds to the etiopathogenic staging.
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Osteoarthritis Of The Hip
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease, which means it causes gradual damage to the joint. It is the most common form of hip arthritis and can affect other joints. Hip osteoarthritis is typically caused by wear and tear related to aging and worsens over time. The breakdown of cartilage leads to pain and inflammation.
Hip osteoarthritis may develop faster in some people due to irregular shape of the bones forming the hip joint. For example, if the ball and the socket parts of the hip joint dont perfectly fit together , they may rub against each other, eventually leading to osteoarthritis. This may also happen in people with hip dysplasia, who have a hip socket that is too shallow to support the ball of the femur. This places abnormal stress on the cartilage, causing it to wear away prematurely.
Stages of Osteoarthritis of the Hip
What Does Arthritis Feel Like
Arthritis feels like pain in the joints, but theres a lot more to it than just that. In addition to the early signs of arthritis described above, individuals who are in the early stages of developing arthritis may experience general weakness,7 difficulty sleeping,10 loss of appetite,6 and weight loss. It is also common to have dry mouth, dry eyes, eye discharge, or chest pain early-on.
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Rather Than Questioning My Illness Try Supporting Me Through It
Yes, it sucks being diagnosed with any illness at what many consider a young age. But instead of reminding someone of that, focus instead on showing them that you want to support them through this journey. There are a number of ways to support someone with a chronic illness, from educating yourself on their condition to avoiding toxic positivity.
And if youre not particularly close to a person, you can simply say, Im sorry to hear. That must be really difficult for you. Empathy for our situation is more appreciated than you could know.
Things You Need To Know About Osteoarthritis Even If You’re Young
Just because you’re in your 20s or 30s doesn’t mean you can’t develop osteoarthritis. Here’s what every young person should know about the painful disease.
When you hear the word “arthritis,” you probably think of an elderly person with joint pain. But osteoarthritis can actually appear in people as young as their 20s. “People come into office and they have a kind of vague idea of what arthritis in general means,” says Douglas Unis, MD, associate professor of orthopaedics at New York City’s Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
So, here’s a quick overview: Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that occurs when the cartilage that cushions and protects your joints wears away. It occurs gradually, and gets worse over time. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting about 30 million U.S. adults. The disorder most commonly affects the hands, knees, hips, and spine.
Knowing the facts about osteoarthritis could save your joints, no matter your age. Here’s what young people should know about symptoms, possible risk factors, and the best treatment options .
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What Are The Complications Of Ra
Rheumatoid arthritis has many physical and social consequences and can lower quality of life. It can cause pain, disability, and premature death.
- Premature heart disease. People with RA are also at a higher risk for developing other chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. To prevent people with RA from developing heart disease, treatment of RA also focuses on reducing heart disease risk factors. For example, doctors will advise patients with RA to stop smoking and lose weight.
- Obesity. People with RA who are obese have an increased risk of developing heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Being obese also increases risk of developing chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. Finally, people with RA who are obese experience fewer benefits from their medical treatment compared with those with RA who are not obese.
- Employment. RA can make work difficult. Adults with RA are less likely to be employed than those who do not have RA. As the disease gets worse, many people with RA find they cannot do as much as they used to. Work loss among people with RA is highest among people whose jobs are physically demanding. Work loss is lower among those in jobs with few physical demands, or in jobs where they have influence over the job pace and activities.
Can Ra Be Fatal
RA alone is not fatal. Fatality occurs due to complications associated with the inflammation caused by RA. In severe cases, patients can develop other medical conditions. The other medical conditions that patients need to be aware when it comes to shortened RA life expectancy include:
- Heart disease
- Respiratory conditions like Chronic Pulmonary Obstruction Disorder
- Infection
Off course, these are conditions that everyone should be concerned about. Keeping your body healthy through diet, exercise, and positive habits will go a long way to reducing the risk of fatality from any of these conditions.
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What Is Arthritis In Dogs
In healthy joints, the slippery tissue called cartilage cushions the ends of the bones in the joints. Unhealthy joints show something different. It is osteoarthritis or arthritis in dogs, no matter the term, the results are the same: cartilage that breaks down, causes pain and swelling. As it gets worse, bone spurs can form, causing more pain and joint damage.
These illustrations show the difference between healthy and unhealthy cartilage. The healthy joint looks like this:
An unhealthy joint looks like this:
Unfortunately, we cannot see this with our own eye, but rather need some sort of X-Ray or MRI to see it.
How would you know if your dog had unhealthy cartilage or healthy cartilage?
Some think the key symptom of dog arthritis is limping, but dogs are pretty good at hiding pain and may never limp. For some dogs, when this happens, your dog may simply become less active or show signs of stiffness when getting up. There may be some visible signs of arthritis in your dog’s legs.
Arthritis can be difficult to recognize and your dog may not show any signs.
Thats why its important to talk to your veterinarian today about keeping your dog active and youthful. The earlier you start the better chance you have of bringing out the puppy inside him.
The Connection Between Age And Arthritis
Its one of the biggest misconceptions about arthritis. Most people believe that arthritis is an old persons disease and that it is entirely a consequence of aging. If that were the case, arthritis would be inevitable and its not.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , arthritis is more common among adults aged 65 years or older, but people of all ages can be affected. Nearly two-thirds of people with arthritis are younger than 65. Arthritis is more common among women than men in every age group, and it affects members of all racial and ethnic groups. Arthritis is also more common among adults who are obese than among those who are normal weight or underweight.
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How To Know If Your Ra Is Progressing
You will know your joints will tell you, Dr. Bhatt says. The pain will get worse and you could have more swelling. Dr. Lally says that although periods of pain may resolve on their own in early RA, these episodes tend to become more frequent and longer in duration until the classic features of RA persist. In addition, Dr. Bhatt says to pay attention to non-joint symptoms like increased shortness of breath or red, painful eyes, which could be signs the RA is affecting other systems in the body. Let your doctor know if your RA symptoms are changing at all.
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What Outcome Can I Expect If I Have Arthritis In My Hands
There is no cure for arthritis. However, you can usually manage mild to moderate symptoms with a combination of medication and non-medication approaches. Surgery may be an option if other treatments fail or the arthritis in your hands is severe. Your healthcare provider will explain what outcome you can expect for your type and severity of arthritis, your age, other existing medical conditions and other factors.
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Initial Ra Signs: What Are The First Signs Of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Jump to:RA StatisticsRA CausesSigns and SymptomsLiving with RA
You just hit your early 30s. You notice that it is harder to get up every morning than it was even five years ago. Theres a general feeling of stiffness over your entire body that you can never quite escape. You initially wrote it off as just an unfortunate part of the aging process , but now youre starting to think there may be something more serious going on.
Youve also started losing weight, but not because you are dieting nor exercising. You originally thought it was because of you have no appetite or real interest in food, but even when you DO eat it seems to have no effect on your weight. All of this has contributed to a sense of depression something that youve never had to deal with previously. Unfortunately, there IS something serious going on. These are just a few of the major early signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis .
RA is a long-term autoimmune disorder that typically affects a persons joints. What usually begins as a warm feeling or swollen hands can quickly turn into pain that just wont go away. Internally, the disease can also manifest itself as a low red blood cell count, inflammation of the lungs or even inflammation of the heart.
A crucial part of seeking appropriate medical treatment as quickly as possible involves knowing what to look for and what to be concerned about. Most importantly, it is essential to know when things are getting serious.
Treatments For Arthritis In Dogs
According to Petmd.com, arthritis in dogs is fast becoming one of the most common health problems seen by veterinarians. As humans and dogs age, arthritis becomes more likely.
For dogs, there are certain breeds that have a higher propensity for arthritis in dogs. Talk to your veterinarian for more information about arthritis and how to treat it.
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When To Seek Help For Anxiety Disorders
Most children, teens, and adults experience some degree of anxiety, so when should a person seek help for an anxiety disorder? When fear, anxiety, or panic start to dominate a personâs life and make it difficult for them to work, socialize, or find joy in life, itâs time to seek help. The family doctor should be the first person contacted and if counseling is needed, a referral can be made. No one should have to live with an anxiety disorder â no matter what their age.
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What Causes Arthritis At A Young Age
One type of arthritis, juvenile arthritis , is most often caused by an autoimmune disorder. This rare condition affects about 300,000 kids under age 16 in the United States.
However, young people can also develop osteoarthritis, which is the type of arthritis most associated with aging joints. This type of arthritis causes inflammation, pain and damage to the cartilage.
In kids and teens, osteoarthritis can be caused by a joint disorder called osteochondritis dissecans . In children with this condition, a small amount of bone begins to separate from the bone around it, causing the cartilage to soften. Over time, it can lead to joint degeneration, cartilage deterioration and arthritis. Osteochondritis dissecans is more likely to occur in knees, ankles and elbows, but its cause is unclear.
“OCD is often seen in the more athletic population,” says Dr. Smurawa, “but can also be seen in nonathletic children. When it does develop, it can have a varying effect on the cartilage inside the joint.”
In some cases, OCD can heal on its own. However, more severe OCD can damage the cartilage, which may result in earlier osteoarthritis. In very severe cases, orthopedic surgeons can use surgical techniques to help the OCD lesion heal and reduce the risk of developing arthritis in the teenage years or early adulthood.
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How Does Osteoarthritis Affect Young People Differently
Although osteoarthritis is more common in older people, many young people in their teens, 20s and 30s can still suffer with the condition. The symptoms are generally the same, no matter how old you are, but it can affect young people differently.
Early onset osteoarthritis can affect a young persons ability to carry out their job or perform their favourite exercise. Older people will still be affected in the same way, but perhaps they might be retired and less keen on intense exercise or professional level sports.
In especially young people, such teenagers, osteoarthritis can affect mental wellbeing too. This is a time when theres a pressure to fit in and be like everybody else. If osteoarthritis means teens cant do the same sports or have the same social life as others, then they may feel left out and socially isolated.
Osteoarthritis in young people can also have an impact on education. If time is needed off school to attend appointments, have surgeries or to deal with pain, then they could be at a disadvantage when it comes to exam passes and grades. Simply walking to school or sitting for long periods of time can also be challenging.
Young people in their 20s and 30s can be left behind in the race for university places, jobs and careers if their school grades have been affected or theyre suffering flare ups preventing them from achieving what they want to achieve.