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Arthritis does not refer to a single disease. It is in fact, a term coined for referring to a number of diseases or conditions that affect the joints, causing pain, swelling, and/or stiffness of the joints. While it is not certain what causes arthritis in people, there are several factors that can increase one’s risk of developing the disease. Arthritis can make life quite difficult by causing severe mobility issues, but with the right approach, it can also be managed easily. Many types of arthritis are long-term conditions, but for a majority of them, early treatment can prove to be highly beneficial.
What is Arthritis?
The term ‘arthritis’ in a literal sense means ‘joint inflammation’ and can refer to any condition or disease that causes inflammation, pain, swelling, or stiffness in the joints, tendons, ligaments, muscles, or bones of a person. The most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis, gout, and rheumatoid arthritis and the age range for the disease is generally towards the higher side. However, despite arthritis being more common among the elderly, it can affect people of all ages quite as easily.
The Causes and Symptoms of Arthritis
Common symptoms include:
- Painful joints
- Swollen joints
- Redness and warmth in a joint
- Stiff joints
- Reduced joint mobility
In some cases, the symptoms may also include fatigue, unexplained weight loss, and a general feeling of unwellness. Some forms of arthritis are genetic or may be caused by a metabolic condition or problems of the immune system. For other forms of arthritis, the cause may not be as clear, but the risk factors include:
- Obesity
- Regularly indulging in activities involving repetitive movements of a joint
- History of joint injury
- Smoking
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Increasing age
- Family medical history
- Certain infections which can lead to reactive arthritis.
Common Types of Arthritis
- Osteoarthritis
The most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis is a chronic disease of the joints, especially affecting one’s weight-bearing joints. In this disease, the cartilage at the end of the bones is destroyed, narrowing the joint space. This disease can cause bone spurs, bone overgrowth, and reduced joint functionality. While it generally occurs as one ages, it can also affect younger people because of joint overuse or an injury.
- Gout Arthritis
Gout causes crystals of uric acid to build up in small joints, leading to inflammation and pain. These are byproducts of the breakdown of purines by the human body. Generally, the body gets rid of excess uric acid, but if it doesn’t, it may accumulate in joints, causing sudden, intense bouts of pain. However, it is also possible for people with high levels of uric acid to not develop gout and for people with gout to have normal uric acid levels.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
This is an autoimmune inflammatory arthritis, where early detection and treatment are crucial. The inflammation caused by the disease can affect all the joints of the body and may even spread to other organs like the lungs and the heart.
Diagnosing Arthritis
For the detection and diagnosis of diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, testing results of arthritis panel tests are required by healthcare professionals. An arthritis test report can include a number of diagnostic tests like, a CBC test, anti-nuclear antibody test, C-reactive protein test, erythrocyte sedimentation rate test, uric acid test, an RA factor test, and many more. The report for the RA factor and other diagnostic tests provides the information doctors need to perform a patient’s prognosis. If the results are outside the normal range in the RA factor and other test reports, doctors can prescribe further testing to ascertain the condition one may have.
Normal Range for Arthritis Tests
The actual levels of biomarkers found in a person’s blood sample may vary depending on several factors like their gender, medical history, age, etc. and the normal range for rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of arthritis may also vary from patient to patient. However, in general, the normal range in an arthritis test report may be as follows:
- RA Factor: Normal range 0-20 iU/ml
- Anti-CCP: Less than 20 EU/ml
- ESR: 0-15 mm/hr for men and 0-20 mm/hr for women (changes with increasing age)
- C-Reactive Protein: Less than 3.0 mg/L
However, as several other conditions can also lead to levels that are higher than the normal range of RA factor, anti-CCP, etc., it is important to consult a doctor with one’s arthritis test report for a proper diagnosis.
Treatment for Arthritis
Depending on the type of arthritis, treatment may include medication, physical therapy to relieve the symptoms and improve mobility of joints, or surgery for joint replacement or fusion, tendon repair, etc.
Predominantly arthritis is a disease that tends to affect the elderly, but several types of arthritis may occur in people, regardless of their age. Following a healthy lifestyle and including ample physical activity in one’s daily schedule can go a long way in helping avid arthritis.
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