Inflammatory Arthritis
What you Need to Know About Inflammatory Arthritis
Inflammatory arthritis is a set of diseases characterized by the inflammation of joints and other tissues. The diseases include psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, among others.
Causes
Most inflammatory types of arthritis are autoimmune conditions. What does this mean? In an autoimmune disease, the body's immune system turns against itself even though it's designed to protect the body. Studies show that genetics play an essential role in many forms. However, it is also suggested that genes alone don't determine the person who gets the disease since other factors play that role. These factors vary for different diseases but might include stress infectious agents, hormones, and cigarette smoke.
Symptoms
How does one know that they may have inflammatory arthritis? This condition is characterized by swelling, pain, tenderness, and warmth in the joints including morning stiffness that can last for an hour or more. Since many arthritis forms are systemic (they affect the whole body), other symptoms that relate to inflammation can occur in other body parts. Although this will depend on a particular form of arthritis, the symptoms may include:
- Eye inflammation
- Skin rashes
- Fever
- Dry mouth
- Hair loss
Diagnosis
When one visits the hospital, the doctor will make the arthritis diagnosis based largely on the patient's physical exam and their medical history. Depending on the specific type of arthritis, the doctor can confirm the diagnosis via other tests such as X- rays, lab tests, or other forms of imaging tests.
Treatment
There isn't a generalized treatment for arthritis. The treatment is usually customized to a specific disease, its severity, and its symptoms. But, various drugs are used for different arthritis forms. These may include anti-inflammatory medications that are used for relieving inflammation and pain as well as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs or biologic agents that stop or slow the disease progression and damage to patient's joints. Note that there are other medications that doctors can recommend if there is the need to quickly stop the inflammation in case it is threatening the internal organs or joints.
Self-Care
Other than following the doctor's advice and taking the subscribed medication, self-care is essential. It involves understanding one's condition and adhering to the instructions the healthcare provider and doctor gave. It also involves the lifestyle choices one has to make and how they address both the emotional and physical effects of having the disease. Self-management is about the choices one makes each day to stay healthy and live well, no matter the circumstances.
Top 5 Routes for "Inflammatory Arthritis"
- Arthritis Foundation This is a foundation that helps patients to conquer the everyday battles of this disease by getting life changing resources and information, optimal care, science advancements, and community connections.
- Healthline This is a site that offers health information on most disease including arthritis. One gets to learn more about different health conditions, medication, and any other essential information on a disease.
- Arthritis research This site invests on breakthrough treatments, information, and critical support for those affected by arthritis.
- National rheumatoid arthritis society This site provides information and support for individuals with different forms of arthritis, their friends, family, and health professionals.
- Mayo clinic This is a site that not only offers information on inflammatory arthritis but also offers access to doctors and healthcare provider's patients can rely on.
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