Arthritis comes in many different forms, over 100, and occurs in men and women of all ages even though most people think that arthritis only occurs later in life. In America, about 37 million people have arthritis, which is about 1 out of every 7 people. Arthritis is an inflammation of one or more joints and results in pain, swelling, stiffness, and limited movement of the extremities.
Cartilage is what normally protects the joints of the hands and feet and it is what allows smooth movement by absorbing shock when pressure is placed on the joint. With arthritis, cartilage has been broken down to the point where bones rub together causing pain, swelling, and stiffness. This is why the major complaint by people with arthritis is joint pain.
Joint inflammation is caused by a variety of reasons and usually goes away after treatment:
- Normal wear and tear on joints
- Infection
- Broken bone
- Autoimmune disease
- Joint pain
- Joint swelling
- Reduced ability to move the joint
- Redness of the skin around a joint
- Stiffness
- Warmth around a joint
- Joint pain lasts longer than 3 days
- One has severe unexplained joint pain
- Joint is significantly swollen
- Difficulty in moving the joint
- Skin around the joint is red or hot
Image by bark. 40+60 Feet, Euw. (2009).
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