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Cardiovascular Health, Fibromyalgia, Osteoporosis, Diabetes, High Cholesterol, High Triglycerides,
Acid Reflux,
Heartburn, High
Blood Pressure, Hypoglycemia, Irritable
Bowel, Menopause, Arthritis,
Rheumatoid Arthritis,
Reduce Cholesterol.
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In addition to rheumatoid and
osteoarthritis, there are a number of diseases and conditions that can
cause joint pain and stiffness.
Gout
A disease that causes sudden, severe attacks of pain,
tenderness, redness, warmth, and swelling in some joints. It usually
affects one joint at a time, especially the joint of the big toe. The
pain and swelling associated with gout are caused by uric acid crystals
that precipitate out of the blood and are deposited in the joint.
Factors leading to increased levels of uric acid and then gout include
excessive alcohol intake, hypertension, kidney disease, and certain
drugs.
Ankylosing spondylitis
A chronic inflammatory disease of the spine
that can fuse the vertebrae to produce a rigid spine. Spondylitis is a
result of inflammation that usually starts in tissue outside the joint.
The most common early symptoms of spondylitis are low back pain and
stiffness that continues for months. Although the cause of spondylitis
is unknown, scientists have discovered a strong genetic or family link,
according to the Arthritis Foundation. Most people with spondylitis have
a genetic marker known as HLA-B27. Genetic markers are protein molecules
located on the surface of white blood cells that act as a type of
"name tag." Having this genetic marker does not mean a person
will develop spondylitis, but people with the marker are more likely to
develop the disease than those without. Ankylosing spondylitis usually
affects men between the ages of 16 and 35, but it also affects women.
Other joints besides the spine may be involved.
Juvenile arthritis
A general term for all types of arthritis that
occur in children. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is the most prevalent
form in children, and there are three major types: polyarticular
(affecting many joints), pauciarticular (pertaining to only a few
joints), and systemic (affecting the entire body). The signs and
symptoms of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis vary from child to child.
There is no single test that establishes conclusively a diagnosis of
juvenile arthritis, and the condition must be present consistently for
six or more consecutive weeks before a correct diagnosis can be made.
Heredity is thought to play some part in the development of juvenile
arthritis. However, the inherited trait alone does not cause the
illness. Researchers think this trait, along with some other unknown
factor (probably in the environment), triggers the disease. The
Arthritis Foundation says that juvenile arthritis is even more prevalent
than juvenile diabetes and cerebral palsy.
Systemic lupus erythematosus
An autoimmune disease that can involve
the skin, kidneys, blood vessels, joints, nervous system, heart, and
other internal organs. Symptoms vary among those affected, but may
include a skin rash, arthritis, fever, anemia, hair loss, ulcers in the
mouth, and kidney sediment or function abnormalities. In most cases, the
symptoms first appear in women of childbearing age; however, lupus can
occur in young children or older people. Studies suggest that there is
an inherited tendency to get lupus. Lupus affects women about 9 to 10
times as often as men. It is also more common in African-American women.
Related Arthritis Conditions
Bursitis, tendinitis and myofascial pain are localized, nonsystemic (not
affecting the whole body) painful conditions. Bursitis is inflammation
of the sac surrounding any joint that contains a lubricating fluid.
Tendinitis is inflammation of a tendon, and myofascial pain is a problem
that results from the strain or improper use of a muscle. These
conditions may start suddenly, and usually stop within a matter of days
or weeks.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
A condition in which pressure on the median
nerve at the wrist causes tingling and numbness in the fingers. It can
begin suddenly or gradually, and can be associated with another disease,
such as rheumatoid arthritis, or it may be unrelated to other
conditions. If untreated, it can result in permanent nerve and muscle
damage. With early diagnosis and treatment, there is an excellent chance
of complete recovery.
Fibromyalgia syndrome
A condition with generalized muscular pain,
fatigue, and poor sleep that is believed to affect approximately 2
percent of the U.S. population, or 5 million people. The name
fibromyalgia means pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons. The
condition mainly affects muscles and their attachments to bones.
Although it may feel like a joint disease, the Arthritis Foundation says
it is not a true form of arthritis and does not cause deformities of the
joints. Fibromyalgia is instead a form of soft tissue or muscular
rheumatism.
Infectious arthritis
A form of joint inflammation that is caused by
bacteria, viruses or fungi. The diagnosis is made by culturing the
organism from the joint. Most infectious arthritis can be cured by
antibiotic medications.
Psoriatic arthritis
Similar to rheumatoid arthritis. About 5 percent
of people with psoriasis, a chronic skin disease, also develop psoriatic
arthritis. In psoriatic arthritis, there is inflammation of the joints
and sometimes the spine. Fewer joints may be involved than in rheumatoid
arthritis, and there is no rheumatoid factor in the blood.
Reiter's syndrome
involves inflammation in the joints, and sometimes
where ligaments and tendons attach to bones. This form of arthritis
usually develops following an intestinal or a genital/urinary tract
infection. People with Reiter's syndrome have arthritis and one or more
of the following conditions: urethritis, prostatitis, cervicitis,
cystitis, eye problems, or skin sores.
Scleroderma
A disease of the body's connective tissue that causes
thickening and hardening of the skin. It can also affect joints, blood
vessels, and internal organs. There are two types of scleroderma:
localized and generalized.
Total Body Fitness has specialized programs specifically for people with Arthritis and
Rheumatoid arthritis conditions. If you have been diagnosed
with arthritis by your physician take control over your condition and us
help you.
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