Arthritis - The Dangerous Enemy

-The word “arthritis” is taken from Greek words meaning “inflamed joints” and it associated with a group of well over 100 rheumatic disease and condition. Arthritis has plagued humans for centuries. Egyptian mummies give evidence that the disease existed centuries ago. Explorer Christopher Columbus evidently suffered from it. And millions today are afflicted. These diseases may affect not only the joints but also the muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments that support them. Some forms of arthritis can damage your skin, internal organs, and even your eyes.

-In the United States, arthritis affects more than 42 million people, disabling 1 out of every 6 sufferers. In fact, arthritis is leading cause of disability in that country. The economic impact of this disease is “roughly equivalent to a moderate recession,” states the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as it costs Americans over 64 billion dollars each year in medical expenses and lost productivity. 

-According to the World Health Organization, surveys involving developing countries, such as Brazil, China, India, Philippines, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan and Thailand, showed that the burden of arthritis and other rheumatic diseases in such land is almost “equal to that in the industrialized world.”

-It is a myth that arthritis is only a disease of the elderly. True, people are more seriously affected by it as they grow older. But one of the most common forms, rheumatoid arthritis, commonly affects those between the ages of 25 and 50. In the United States, nearly 3 out of every 5 people with arthritis are younger than 65 years of age. Similarly, in Great Britain, out of 8 million sufferers, 1.2 million are under age 45. More than 14,500 are children.

-Let us focus on two diseases commonly associated with arthritis—osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. ”It is many ways like the weather-ubiquitous, often unnoticed, and sometimes dramatic in its effects” states the Western Journal of Medicine. Unlike RA, osteoarthritis (OA) rarely spreads to other body parts but concentrates its eroded, bones begins grinding against bone. This is accompanied by bony outgrowths called osteophytes. Cysts may form, and the underlying bone thickens and becomes deformed. Other symptoms include knobby knuckles, grating and grinding sounds that emanate from arthritic joints, and muscle spasms, along with pain, stiffness, and loss of mobility.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

In the case of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the body’s immune system launches an all-out attack on its joints. For some unknown reason, a large volume of blood cells—including T cells, which are key players in the body’s immune system—rushes into joint cavities. This triggers a cascade of chemical events that result in the joint becoming inflamed. The synovial cells may begin to proliferate uncontrollably, forming a tumor like mass of tissue called a pannus. The pannus in turn, produces destructive enzymes that destroy the cartilage. Bone surfaces may now stick together, causing restricted motion—and excruciating pain. This destructive process also weakens the ligaments, the tendons, and the muscles, causing the joint to become unstable and partially dislocated, oftentimes leaving a deformed appearance. Usually RA affects joints in a symmetrical pattern, afflicting the wrists, knees, and feet. Upwards of 50 percent of individuals diagnosed with RA also develop nodules or bumps under the skin. Some develop anemia and dry, painful eyes and throat. Fatigue and flulike symptoms, including fever and aching muscles, accompany RA.

Each year, the number of arthritis sufferers increases rapidly.