Arthritis

Arthritis (गठिया, Gathiya) is a joint disorder that comprises inflammation of one or more joints. The joints allow free movement of body parts connected to it but when there is a tenderness in the joints, it results in Arthritis. At Felix hospital, we have the best orthopaedic and spine specialist who takes care of all problems related to joints, bones and muscles.

There are more than 200 types of Arthritis broadly categorised into 7 types.

• Inflammatory arthritis
• Degenerative or Medical arthritis
• Soft tissue musculoskeletal pain
• Back Pain
• Connective tissue disease
• Infectious arthritis
• Metabolic arthritis

Two most common type of arthritis is Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Osteoarthritis refers to wear and tear type in which cartilage gets damaged in the affected joints. While Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune condition in which immune system attacks and damages the joints. The other forms of arthritis are psoriatic arthritis, mechanical arthritis, Gout etc

Common Symptoms

Stiffness in joints	Gland Swelling	Joint Pain
Redness or tenderness around the joint	Difficulty in movement	Loss of Cartilage in knee arthritis
Problem in preforming regular day-to-day activities like walking, hand griping etc

Causes

Some of the common causes which may cause any of the types of arthritis are-

• Broken bones, Injury
• Autoimmune Disease
• Immune system dysfunction like RA, SLE
• Abnormal Metabolism
• Infection by bacteria or virus
• Wear and tear of joints

How to Prevent It

Though it is difficult to prevent Arthritis which are inherited. But Arthritis which is caused by Joints can be prevented by taking certain measures-

• Stay physically active – It is important to stay physically active. Do mild exercise like walking, jogging, or doing household chores etc.
• Maintain a healthy weight – It is important that you should have a healthy weight. Being overweight put stress on your knee and other joints.
• Protect your joints from unnecessary stress - Use bigger muscles instead of putting pressure on the smaller one.