What Is Arthritis?
That question had been asked again and again throughout time, and it is an important questions, as even experts do agree that people in general should know what is arthritis as it is suffered by one out of three Americans. Arthritis can be defined as inflammation of the joints.
Many people wonder what is arthritis and what does it actually mean. Etiology wise, the word arthritis originates from the Greek word, arthro, which means joints of the human body, while –itis is a scientific term for inflammation and swelling, hence the word, arthritis. In general, the connective tissues in between the bones are called as the ligament, however in general terms; it is known as joints, where the ends of two bones meet.
There are many types of arthritis such as osteoarthritis, septic arthritis, juvenile arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and so much more. However, people in general should learn about what is arthritis in general. However, two of the most common type of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition, where the antibody of the immune system attacks the cells of the joints as it mistakes the cells for harmful pathogens. Rheumatoid arthritis root cause is unknown, however it is theorized that it is hereditary.
Osteoarthritis on the other hand is the condition of arthritis caused by wear and tear of the bones, which would cause damaging friction to the joints, as a result, inflammation of the joints. However, there are many of other types of arthritis which are caused by many different factors. All of the arthritis shares the main common symptoms.
Besides knowing what is arthritis, it is also important to know about the common symptoms of arthritis. The most common and obvious symptom of arthritis is pain in the joints. The pain in the joints is caused by swelling of the tissues in the joints. Besides the pain, usually around the joint area, the sufferer would feel stiffness, and difficulty to freely move. The affected area would also be reddish in color, and tender when touched.
Arthritis is one of the most common causes of disabilities in the elderly. Scientists had known what is arthritis and research shows that it had been around dated back over 5000 years ago, where evidence is clear in Egyptian Mummies, mummified ice age person found in the alps, and even in the joints of dinosaur bones discovered.
The general treatment to help lessen the pain faced by sufferers is to take Aspirin, or any other anti-inflammatory which would lessen the swelling and relieve the pain. It is important to know in general about what is arthritis, as well as the symptoms, and you should seek help from doctor if you feel you might be suffering from arthritis.
