Arthritis is a medical condition characterized by inflammation of the joints. It is one of the most common chronic diseases in adults, affecting nearly 54 million Americans over the age of 18. The two main types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, although there are many other less common forms including gout, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that results from wear-and-tear on the cartilage between bones in joints. This type of arthritis typically affects individuals over 50 years old or those who have sustained a joint injury or had surgery involving their joints. Symptoms include pain, stiffness, swelling and decreased range of motion around affected joints. Treatment usually consists of lifestyle modifications such as exercise and weight control combined with medications to reduce pain and inflammation like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). In severe cases, surgical intervention may be necessary to replace damaged joint parts with artificial prosthesis or reconstructive procedures known as arthroplasty.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) on the other hand is an autoimmune disorder caused by an abnormal immune response which leads to inflammation in multiple areas throughout your body including your synovial membrane – this surrounds your joint capsule making it swell up causing discomfort and limited movement within that area due to thickening tissue forming near these membranes leading to further deterioration if left untreated for long periods time.. RA can affect people at any age but typically occurs more often after 40 years old; its symptoms include morning stiffness lasting at least 1 hour along with fatigue/weakness throughout day accompanied by fever/weight loss depending severity level present case per case basis – treatment includes use steroidal injections directly applied into affected area combined with oral medication intended decrease overall inflammatory process while providing relief through controlling swelling & reducing pain levels respectively thus restoring functionality back into joints once again! Additional therapies such as physical therapy used help improve mobility & strength lost during flare ups might also beneficial when trying combat against RA betterment patient’s quality life!