Arthritis: Leading Cause Of Disability In The United States

OA is a musculoskeletal disease that causes chronic joint pain and reduced physical functioning (Laba, brien, Fransen, & jan, 2013). Osteoarthritis (OA) is a non-inflammatory disorder of synovial joints that results in loss of hyaline cartilage and remodeling of surrounding bone. OA is the single most common joint disease, with an estimated prevalence of 60% in men and 70% in women later in life after the age of 65 years, affecting an estimated 40 million people in the United States (Goodman & Fuller, 2009). Women are more commonly affected after the age of 55, almost everyone has some symptoms by the age of 70 (Tan, Zahara, Colburn & Hawkins, 2013, p.78). Osteoarthritis can be described radiological, clinical, or subjective.

Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease, is a form of arthritis characterized by the breakdown of cartilage within joints. Cartilage serves to provide cushion at the ends of bones, and when the cushion is not sufficient, as in osteoarthritis, the bones rub together. As a result, osteoarthritis sufferers are constantly plagued by stiff, swollen, and inflamed joints (http://www.arthritis.org/answers/diseasecenter/oa.asp). It is a relatively common condition, with an estimated 20 million American sufferers, most of whom are elderly (http://webmd.lycos.com/content/article/1668.50297). Traditional treatments include Tylenol, aspirin, or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Arthritis affects over 10 million people in the UK alone. There are over 200 types with the main types being osteoarthritis and rheumatoid. Osteoarthritis, the most common form suffered by 8.5 million in the UK, is a wasting of connective tissue between bones. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), although less common, is more severe and accounts for less than 10% of arthritis sufferers in the UK (NHS UK, 2012). It is a painful condition causing swelling, damaging bone and cartilage around joints. Its progression and severity vary greatly between individuals but it can cause serious disability, having a huge impact on ability to carry out tasks in everyday life. For this

Today in the United States there is an estimated 1.3 million people living and dealing with rheumatoid arthritis (Arthritis Foundation). One might ask, what exactly is rheumatoid arthritis? Well, rheumatoid arthritis, also commonly known as RA, is a form of inflammatory disease and an autoimmune disease. If the person is a minor, or below the age of six-teen, then the chronic disease can also go by the name of juvenile arthritis. The juvenile arthritis is, “Defined as chronic inflammation of the synovial joints, with unknown etiology, which starts before the age of sixteen and persists for at least six weeks” (Hink et al 1). This disease can affect anyone with a functioning immune system. Out of the 1.3 million people in the United States that have rheumatoid arthritis, 70% of that number is women (RA.com). Once again there are no certain reasons as to who receives this disease whether its children, elders, Caucasians, African Americans, etc. But once they do receive the illness, then it affects them immensely. “The disease is systemic, meaning it can occur throughout the whole body. It’s a chronic disease, so it can’t be cured” (Arthritis Foundation). The pain, stiffness and fatigue can affect the entire body. “RA occurs when your immune system, the system that protects your body from outside harm, mistakenly starts attacking healthy tissue” (RA.com). Rheumatoid arthritis is an incurable disease that is affecting

Osteoarthritis is a chronic joint disease, the degeneration of the joint cartilage and the underlying bone. Usually osteoarthritis is mostly found in the knee, hip, and hand. This disease is more common in people over the age of fifty and is also more likely in women than men. This disease generally develops over several years. Symptoms can often remain stable for long periods of time during this period of time.

Osteoarthritis is the breakdown of joints. Osteoarthritis is commonly caused by being overweight, the joints in the body aging and injuries. Some common treatments are exercise , diet, and medication. In more severe cases joint replacement could be an option for treatment.The two most common symptoms of this are stiffness of the joints or swelling. To diagnose Osteoarthritis the doctor must know medical history and the patient must go through a physical examination. Sometimes this means to go through X-rays to lab test.

Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis in the knee that is most common to receive. This is a joint disease that mostly affects the cartilage. This arthritis only affects the joints. The cartilage is a slippery tissue that cover the ends of the bones in a joint. It is known as a wear and tear type of arthritis that occurs in people over the age of 50. However, it can occur to people younger than the age of 50 too. For this type of arthritis the top layer of the cartilage breaks down, which causes the slippery tissue to wear away. What happens then is that the bones of the joints rub closely against each other with less of the cartilage.

pain and joint disease. Anybody can develop arthritis all ages, race and gender, it’s known to be

Osteoarthritis is one of the most commonly diagnosed joint diseases seen in primary care clinic. Although it is not a fatal condition, it can lead to impaired mobility and decreased quality of life. Some patients with severe osteoarthritis may even require surgery to improve their functionality and pain levels.

Osteoarthritis frequently affects the small finger joints and thumb, as well as the knees (Rheumatoid Arthritis.org, 2016). RA affects several joints in comparison to OA that affect one joint or area (Rheumatoid Arthritis.org, 2016). Osteoarthritis affects more people than rheumatoid arthritis. According to Rheumatoid Arthritis.org, (2016), 27 million people develop osteoarthritis and around 1.3 million people develop rheumatoid arthritis. Although OA is more prevalent in the population, females tend to be diagnosed are higher rates and experience the pain and stiffness alike (Rheumatoid Arthritis.org, 2016). RA appears in people between the age of thirty and sixty years of age. Osteoarthritis generally develops later in life. The signs and symptoms of RA are joint pain, stiffness, swelling joints, symmetrical symptoms, stiffness lasting greater than 30 minutes in the AM, fatigue, fever, and malaise (Rheumatoid Arthritis.org, 2016). In comparison, OA symptoms feature joint pain and stiffness which is unequally distributed and experienced in hands, fingers, knees, spine, and hips with stiffness in the AM lasting less than 30 minutes (Rheumatoid Arthritis.org, 2016). Another note is that with RA other diseases involving the lung, heart, musculoskeletal problems are common and continuous problems from the effects of inflammation (Huether & McCance,

Arthritis related statistics 2006, Division of Adult and Community Health, Health Care and Aging Studies Branch, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention, and Health Promotion, 2006.

Rheumatic or musculoskeletal conditions comprise over 150 diseases and syndromes. One condition called Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common degenerative joint disease that affects the cartilage. In developed countries it ranks among the top ten for disabling diseases. It is associated with aging and affects the joints that have been continuously stressed throughout the years. This includes the knees, hips, fingers, and lower spine region. The condition presents itself as a loss in flexibility, stiffness, and a deep, achy pain. Treatment of this condition requires a variety of components to fit a person's needs, lifestyle, and health.

Arthritis affects the human joints such as knee joint, hip joint, toe and finger joints among others. I t does not choose the gender or the age hence any one can be affected. This disease is commonly in women as it is stated that they take o a ratio of 6:10 after a certain research by scientists.

Arthritis and some other locomotor deficiencies are the leading cause of pain and disability worldwide. Arthritis, for example, is the inflammation of a joint whose symptoms are expressed with frequent pain, limitation of movement, and some heat in that area. Furthermore osteoarthritis, which is sometimes confused with arthritis, corresponds to a degenerative disorder of the joint. The non-articular rheumatism, also known as "rheumatism of soft tissues" also causes some discomfort and difficulty in movement. Lumbago and sciatica are caused by problems of the central column. Osteoarthritis is one of the types of arthritis, occurs as a result of wear of the joints, and is primarily to athletes or people who have overused some of your joints during

In the United States, arthritis has become the second most common disorder, in the past years. Moreover, the condition affects more than 34 million Caucasians, 4.6 million African-Americans and nearly 3.1 million Hispanics with women being the most affected (Helmick, 2008). 28.3% of people suffering from arthritis are women whereas 18.2% are men (Helmick, 2008). By the year 2030, it is predicted that the number of patients with arthritis will double if prevalence rates remain the same. Apart from being cost-intensive, Osteoarthritis (OA) affects nearly twenty seven million Americans, which effectively limits their work (Reid, Shengelia & Parker, 2012). The statistics show that Caucasians are the most affected and the Hispanics to be the less affected from Caucasians, Hispanics, and African Americans. It also shows how women also have greater possibilities of getting arthritis than man ever did.