Arthritis is a common health condition affecting people of all ages. This condition is characterized by joint swelling, tenderness, and limited range of motion, which causes constant pain and discomfort. Although common among the elderly, it also affects younger people. As a result, making early detection and diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment.
Besides, identifying and diagnosing arthritis in its early stages is vital to combat the condition successfully. Early detection can help healthcare professionals intervene to prevent the worsening of the symptoms. It helps manage and prevent the severity of the condition.
With various diagnostic techniques, healthcare professionals can determine the presence of arthritis through blood tests, imaging scans, and physical examinations.
Once the diagnosis is confirmed, healthcare providers can prescribe appropriate medications, physical therapy, and other interventions to alleviate pain, increase mobility, and improve the patient’s quality of life. That said, let’s discuss the symptoms of arthritis in detail below.
What are the Symptoms of Arthritis?
While there are various symptoms of arthritis, some of the most common ones include joint pain, stiffness, swelling, redness, decreased range of motion, tenderness, and fatigue. However, these symptoms and their severity may vary depending on the patient and the type of arthritis.
For instance, rheumatoid arthritis leads to joint pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints, whereas with osteoarthritis, the joints ache more but with little to no swelling. That’s why it’s essential to recognize the symptoms early to diagnose arthritis at the right time.
Generally, the cartilage between bones wears and deteriorates, leading to additional discomfort and pain. When experiencing such discomfort, medical intervention becomes necessary. However, detecting some preliminary symptoms of arthritis may also help in the timely diagnosis of the ailment.
That said, let’s discuss the frequent causes of arthritis discussed in detail below.
Frequent Causes of Arthritis
With modern medicine and technological advancements, there are now many methods of arthritis detection based on patient medical history, X-rays, physical examinations, blood tests, visual symptoms, and bone density tests.
One of the easiest ways to diagnose arthritis is through physical examinations and confirming a patient’s medical history. Certain types of arthritis are hereditary. If one of your family members has rheumatoid arthritis, there is a slight 0.3% chance that you might develop the condition too.
Medical professionals usually study the patient’s medical history and provide the context to their particular situation to diagnose the ailment. Physical examinations are the preferred treatment type among doctors and patients.
Other than physical examinations, the most effective diagnostic methods for arthritis are imaging tests such as X-rays, MRI scans and bone density analysis. These tests can accurately show the joints that may be affected by arthritis. Alternatively, they are also detected using bone mass and density.
Mild and infrequent joint pain isn’t much of a concern and doesn’t represent arthritis. However, if your joint function is restricted and you are experiencing the symptoms mentioned above, then prudent testing for arthritis is advised to preserve joint health and functionality.
Why Early Diagnosis is Necessary
Arthritis is an ailment that isn’t completely cured but prevented and alleviated. Thus, it is of utmost importance that arthritis treatment is started early in the preliminary stages. It ensures the ailment doesn’t worsen and timely medical intervention is provided. Here are some reasons why early treatment of arthritis is important:
- Delaying Further Joint Damage
In certain types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, the protective cartilage cushioning the end of the bones wears down, and the lining of the joint capsule becomes inflamed and swollen.
It leads to irreparable damage to the cartilage and joint and can even lead to deformities in extreme cases. Thus, providing early diagnosis can delay the deterioration of the cartilage and ensure that the joint damage is as minimal as possible.
- Alleviating Pain
One of the biggest benefits of early arthritis detection and treatment is the relief from joint inflammation. Proper medication and exercise can reduce discomfort and pain while reducing the tenderness of the joints.
- Improving the Quality of Life
Arthritis can greatly limit your range of motion and hampers your ability to do certain activities. By taking proactive steps in alleviating arthritis, you can ensure your joints are still strong enough to perform daily life activities and enhance the range of motion of joints.
It improves your quality of life. Additionally, regular exercise can be highly beneficial for adults with arthritis as it has been shown to reduce pain and enhance overall function by 40%.
- Avoiding Aggressive Treatments
If arthritis is treated early, it can potentially reduce the need for stronger medications or more intensive interventions in the future to manage symptoms like pain and stiffness.
Treatment Options for Arthritis
To ease the effects of arthritis, some treatment options of varying intensity can help reduce pain, swelling, and joint damage. Here are some treatment options:
- Medications
Certain medications can relieve pain and inflammation, including painkillers such as ibuprofen, aspirin, or other anti-inflammatory medicines. Drugs such as Trexall and Plaquenil are also prescribed for more advanced arthritis cases.
- Physical Therapy and Exercise
Physical therapy, such as stretching, strengthening, and massage, can strengthen your joints and keep you active. It facilitates a wider range of motion to simplify your daily life activities.
- Assistive Devices
Many assistive devices are available for arthritis based on your convenience. These assistive devices, such as walkers, braces, and canes, help patients continue their daily tasks.
- Surgery
Surgery for arthritis is typically reserved for advanced cases of bone deterioration where other treatments have been ineffective. Surgical procedures like joint fusion can increase weight-bearing capacity, greater stability, and decrease pain.
Summing up!
Arthritis is a complex ailment with various types and challenges associated with it. One of the key steps in combatting arthritis is detecting it early, and starting timely treatments, as this can greatly help relieve pain, delay further damage, and improve the overall quality of life.
Hence, even with no cure for arthritis, many treatments and strategies can help alleviate the pain and comfort from the ailment!