ARTHRITIS
Arthritis is a group of conditions
involving damage to the joints of the body. Arthritis is the leading cause
of disability in people older than fifty-five years. There
are many different forms of arthritis; each has a different cause. The most
common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) is a
result of trauma to the joint, infection of the joint, or age. Emerging evidence
suggests that abnormal anatomy might contribute to the early development of
osteoarthritis. Other arthritis forms are rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic
arthritis, autoimmune diseases in which the body attacks itself. Septic arthritis
is caused by joint infection. Gouty arthritis is caused by deposition of uric
acid crystals in the joint, causing inflammation. There is also an uncommon
form of gout caused by the formation of rhomboid crystals of calcium pyrophosphate.
This gout is known as pseudogout.
Treatment
options vary depending on the type of arthritis and include physical and occupational
therapy, lifestyle changes (including exercise and weight control), and medications
(symptomatic or targeted at the disease process causing the arthritis). Arthroplasty
(joint replacement surgery) may be required in eroding forms of arthritis.In
general, studies have shown that physical exercising of the affected joint
can have noticeable improvement in terms of long-term pain relief. Furthermore,
exercising of the arthritic joint is encouraged to maintain the health of
the particular joint and the overall body of the person.(1)
source
(1) wikipedia