Having a joint condition may mean that you have to slow down with a lot of different activities that you once did. This is understandable when it comes to being in pain and not being able to keep up like you once could. You may also not know the cause of the joint condition that you have, or fully understand it. Once reading through the information, ask your NJ orthopedic surgeon for more information regarding the condition that you currently have to better understand it.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common joint conditions; in fact, it is probably the highest on the list. The cause of this condition is unknown, but it does affect thousands of people each and every day throughout the United States. It is an auto-immune disorder where the immune system attacks healthy tissues throughout the body.
This condition can occur at any age, but it is more common in middle aged people. It is also more common in women, then in men. Hormone changes, genes and certain infections in people can put them at a higher risk of getting Rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a joint condition that is common with age and wear and tear done to the joints. When the body ages, the joints are not as strong as they once were and start to break down. This then causes osteoarthritis in the body. When the cartilage in the joints wears down, the bones then rub against each other and this is what causes the pain from osteoarthritis.
Even though the causes of Osteoarthritis are unknown, almost everyone over the age of 70 have some sort of symptoms of the condition. It is more common in women that are over the age of 55. Weight can play a role in the severity of the osteoarthritis, as well as any joint injuries that you might have had in the past.
Gout
Gout is a joint condition that is somewhat common in people. It is caused by the body having too much uric acid or by not being able to properly get rid of it when there is too much. If too much of the acid pools in the joint areas then it can crystallize. These crystals rub on the joints and cause them to inflame and become painful. The exact cause of gout is unknown, although it is common for it to be passed down in families.
Gout is more commonly found in men and women that are at a menopause age. Those that drink alcohol are more likely to get gout than others. Other factors that can cause gout include, but are not limited too: obesity, diabetes, blood disorders or cancers and kidney disease.
Bursitis
Bursitis is most commonly found in those that overuse their joints. This can be found in obese individuals that have to carry a lot of weight around on a daily basis or those that do a lot of weight training or marathon running. Other conditions that can cause this are gout, arthritis or an infection.
The shoulder, knee, tendons and hips are the areas that are commonly affected by bursitis. Swelling and stiffness in the joint area are common signs of bursitis.
If you have a question or concern regarding your joints, speaking with a NJ orthopedic surgeon can provide you with the right information on what needs to be done. Pain, swelling, weakness or stiffness in the joint area are all common signs that something is going on with the area and needs to be evaluated accordingly. The right doctor or surgeon can evaluate them for you.
