Arthritis (Joint Inflammation)

What Is Arthritis?

Arthritis is a word for more than a hundred different conditions that cause pain in the joints and the tissues around them, such as ligaments, tendons and bones.

Many forms of arthritis also cause inflammation in the joints. Inflammation is the body’s natural reaction to irritated or infected tissue. It can make the affected joint swollen, painful, warm and red.

Arthritis is a long-term (chronic) condition. It may be present all the time, or come and go in flare-ups, for months or for the rest of a person’s life. Its main causes are wear and tear, injury, an overactive immune system and infection, and sometimes there is no clear reason at all.

What It Feels Like

Symptoms of arthritis range from mild to severe. Most people notice:

• Pain in the joint, often worse after use or at the end of the day
• Stiffness, especially in the morning or after sitting still
• Swelling, warmth or a creaking, grinding feeling
• Less movement in the joint, so sitting on the floor, squatting or climbing stairs becomes hard
• Tiredness and low mood, which can come with long-term pain

Arthritis threatens the ability of millions of Indians to move freely, work, sleep well and enjoy life without unnecessary pain. The good news is that the right treatment can make a big difference.

Types of Arthritis

Arthritis conditions fall into two broad groups.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, and it affects more Indians than all other types combined. It happens when the body can no longer repair damaged joint tissue. The damage often comes with ageing, but it can also follow an injury.

In osteoarthritis, the cartilage that covers and protects the ends of the bones slowly wears away. In time, bone rubs against bone, causing pain, stiffness, swelling and loss of movement. The joints most often affected are the knees and hips, the joints of the hands, and the spine.

Many things add to the risk of osteoarthritis, including age, being overweight, being a woman, jobs that load the joints, some sports, earlier joint injuries or operations, and genes.

Inflammatory Arthritis

Inflammatory arthritis is different from osteoarthritis because the joint damage comes from inflammation rather than wear of the cartilage. Most forms are autoimmune diseases, in which the immune system, the body’s defence against infection, mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. Examples include rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Gout, caused by crystals of uric acid in the joint, is another inflammatory type.

The inflammation can cause pain, stiffness, restricted movement, tiredness and damage to joints and other tissues. If not found and treated quickly, these diseases tend to progress faster than osteoarthritis. Some, such as rheumatoid arthritis, can affect the whole body.

Septic Arthritis

Septic arthritis is an infection inside a joint. It develops over hours or days and can quickly destroy the joint, so it is a medical emergency. Read more about septic arthritis.

How Arthritis Is Diagnosed

Dr. Gadkari starts by listening to how the pain affects your life and examining the joint. X-rays show how much cartilage is left and whether the bones have changed shape. If an inflammatory arthritis is possible, blood tests can look for markers of inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis or high uric acid. Sometimes an MRI scan, or a test of fluid drawn from the joint, is needed.

Getting the type right matters, because osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis are treated differently. If you have an inflammatory arthritis, Dr. Gadkari will work alongside a rheumatologist, a specialist in these conditions.

Treatment Options

Most arthritis is treated without surgery. Treatment builds up step by step, and many people never need more than the first few steps.

Living Well With Arthritis

Small changes at home can protect your joints every day:

• Sit on a chair of good height rather than on the floor, and use a western toilet or a raised seat.
• Fit a handrail on the stairs and a grab bar in the bathroom.
• Walk, cycle or swim regularly. Gentle movement eases stiffness.
• Spread heavy tasks through the day, and rest the joint during a flare.
• Ask Dr. Gadkari before stopping or starting any medicine.