 Arthritis
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Arthritis is
a common name that is used to characterize
over 100 diseases that cause pain, inflammation
and loss of movement in the joints.
Although the intensity may vary, arthritis
is usually chronic and permanent. In
some cases the inflammation affects
tissues and organs of the body in addition
to the bones, and it can also alter
the shape of bones, inflicting pain
while performing even basic movements.
Arthritis is experienced significantly
more often among people over 55 years
of age but it can affect individuals
of all ages including children.
Causes and Risk Factors
Since
there are over one hundred conditions
that can be classified as arthritis,
there are a variety of causes. Although
there is not an exact cause of arthritis,
the following factors contribute significantly
to its development:
| Age:
The
risk of developing arthritis
increases with age because
the cartilage tends to become
brittle and the repairing
mechanism of bones becomes
weaker as the individual
grows older.
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| Gender:
Women
are more vulnerable than
men in developing arthritis.
Women experience more hormonal
changes than men and hormonal
changes are a significant
cause of inflammation in
the joints. |
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| Obesity:
Being
overweight increases the
risk of developing arthritis
because it causes an excessive
pressure on the joints. |
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| Nature
of Work: Individuals
whose work involves repetitive
use or stress on specific
joints have a higher risk
of injuring their joints
and developing arthritis.
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Genetics:
Although
the exact relationship between
genes and arthritis has
not been established, genetic
variation is believed to
contribute to the development
of arthritis.
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| Injury:
Individuals
who have suffered from a
joint injury in the past
have a higher risk of developing
arthritis. Joint injuries
can damage the smooth surface
of the bones which causes
friction. Tibial plateau
fracture illustrates this
phenomenon because when
this injury occurs, the
broken bone enters the knee
cartilage and inflicts damage.
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| Infections:
Various long-lasting and untreated infections may lead
to inflammation in the joints
and eventual arthritis.
For example, a colon infection
can deposit toxins around
the joints which can lead
to inflammation and to the
eventual development of
arthritis. These toxins
could simply be composed
of uric acid that the body
fails to excrete. Similarly,
when injuries are untreated
or occur frequently, they
can lead to inflammation
in the joints.
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