Arthritis Archives - Mobility Center

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Written by webtechs

9 September 2022

Types of Rheumatoid Arthritis

The two primary Types of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are seronegative and seropositive RA, with juvenile RA being another kind that only impacts children.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in your joints and may impact other parts of your body additionally. The types of rheumatoid arthritis are chronic, gradual condition that has the potential to seriously damage the impacted joints. Each year, forty-one out of one-hundred thousand people are diagnosed with RA.

How are the Types of Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosed?

The diagnosis of RA comprises of blood tests: anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies, C-reactive protein (CRP), rheumatoid factor (RF), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)

Seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis

Seronegative RA, in which RA and anti-CCP are not present, is less prevalent than the seropositive type. In early 2000 studies, twelve out of every one-hundred thousand RA patients were seronegative, and has increased to twenty per one-hundred thousand in the following years. This type of Rheumatoid Arthritis causes the typical RA symptoms, but they are usually less severe and can be uncertain. A diagnosis of seronegative RA is based on symptoms and signs of the condition, including joint stiffness, morning stiffness, pain, swelling, and symmetrical involvement of several joints. Liken to seropositive RA, related symptoms are not uncommon, like fatigue and fever. Rheumatoid nodules, lung issues, and vasculitis are not as likely in seronegative RA.

Seropositive Rheumatoid Arthritis

A seropositive RA diagnosis alludes to positive RF and/or anti-CCP blood tests. Anti-CCP is used to distinguish antibodies that attack your body’s healthy cells, in which leads to inflammation. The symptoms are lifelong and can improve or flare up sometimes, causing pain, stiffness, and joint swelling. Several joints are going to be involved, and they’re usually impacted symmetrically (for instance, each knee is usually impacted instead of just one). Seropositive Rheumatoid Arthritis is deemed to be more progressive and serious than seronegative RA. Seropositive RA is associated with more damage to joints, rheumatoid nodules, deformity, lung issues, vasculitis development, and further-articular systems.

Juvenile Idiopathic Rheumatoid Arthritis

Juvenile RA, often known as Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA), is a type of RA that impacts those aged sixteen and under. While children usually have growing pains, the stiffness, pain and swelling of juvenile idiopathic arthritis are indications of disease and requires treatment. Children that have it may also have rash, fevers, and lymph nodes that are swollen. The objective of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis treatment is to manage pain and inflammation to help keep the child social and active. Treatments for JIA include therapy and medications. In some cases, surgery may be justifiable.

Autoimmune Comorbidities

Rheumatoid Arthritis is associated with several comorbidities, which are inclined to be other autoimmune diseases. The most likely comorbidities associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis include:

Thyroiditis
Diabetes
Lupus

Often the management of RA can lessen autoimmune disease activity and can result in an overall improvement throughout diseases.

What Comorbidities Exist in Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Conditions Sometimes Confused with Rheumatoid Arthritis

There are a lot of conditions that can be confused with Rheumatoid Arthritis because of similar symptoms. Many of these conditions are autoimmune, such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, and some are not.

Conditions usually confused for Rheumatoid Arthritis comprise of:

Fibromyalgia
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Anemia
Sciatica
Lyme disease
Neuropathy
Psoriatic arthritis

Studies have shown that there is usually a lag in Rheumatoid Arthritis diagnosis following the initial symptoms beginning. It’s also likely to have a misdiagnosis prior to the more pronounced, serious symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis arise.

A Word From Mobility Center

The types of Rheumatoid Arthritis are serious, life-long diseases, but with the proper treatment, you can maintain a good standard of living. Monitoring your own symptoms and flareups can help you and your health care provider in establishing how well your medication(s) is working. Whereas finding out your Rheumatoid Arthritis type is not going to necessarily change your treatment, knowing the various types can help guide your projections.

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Written by webtechs

1 September 2022

Rheumatoid Arthritis vs. Gout

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and gout have a great deal in common. The medical community deems them as kinds of arthritis. Meaning both cause pain, swelling, and joint stiffness. However, there are important variations among them, too.

Those variations include the reason they happen. There are also indicative variations in their symptoms that help to recognize the two. Since the cause of them are different, doctors also manage and treat them differently.

Are RA and Gout Caused by the Same Thing?

Rheumatoid arthritis and gout are both kinds of arthritis, but the primary causes are totally different. RA is an autoimmune disorder. It occurs when your body’s immune system attacks the tissue lining your joints. Those attacks can cause painful swelling, soreness, and joint abnormality. Because RA is an immune system disease it can impact other parts of the body, also, including your eyes, skin, and heart.

Gout impacts those with an excess of uric acid in their blood. Your body produces this kind of acid when breaking down specific foods, including meat. Your kidneys usually rids your body of it when you urinate. However, when there’s an excess of it in your system, the uric acid can produce crystals. These needle-like crystals build-up in joints and adjoining tissues in which they can cause pain and inflammation.

Do Gout and RA Have the Same Symptoms?

Both gout and RA is the cause of pain and stiffness in several joints. But otherwise, the two tend to conform to different patterns.

Rheumatoid arthritis. This ailment usually begins in smaller joints such as your feet and hands. They are going to feel swollen, tender, and warm to the touch. Then it typically moves to other, larger joints such as your shoulders, wrists, elbows, knees, ankles, and hips. It’s uncommon, but you might also suffer from fatigue and appetite loss or a fever, though that’s rare.

A lot of individuals have similar symptoms on each side of their body. Meaning if one shoulder hurts, the other one usually does, too.

Rheumatoid arthritis makes your joints feel stiff when waking up in the morning. The pain might get better with activity throughout the day.

Gout. Different from RA, it typically begins with a sudden pain of attack. The pain can be extreme. It isn’t uncommon for an individual that has gout to seem like their joint is on fire. It could seem like there’s a searing poker in their joint.

Gout typically impacts just one joint. Your big toe is a common area, but gout also can impact ankles, knees, wrists, or elbows.

The impacted joint also might appear red and swollen. It could be warm to the touch. Sometimes gout attacks can be the cause of a fever.

Are Doctors Going to Treat RA and Gout the Same Way?

Neither RA nor gout has a cure. However, there are treatments to help manage their symptoms. Some are the same for both conditions:

Treatments for Pain. Over the counter pain relievers such as naproxen and Tylenol can help with either condition. A medication known as colchicine could also relieve gout pain.
Treatments for Inflammation. Corticosteroids such as cortisone can help with inflammation and the pain caused by it.

In relation to treating the underlying ailment, doctors put their efforts for treating the cause. RA treatments might include medications that subdues the immune system.

Treatment for gout typically includes medications that hinder the increase of uric acid crystals.

What you’re eating can also impact the levels of uric acid in your blood. If you have gout, take these measures to prevent gout attacks:

Restrict alcohol
Limit meat consumption
Keep a healthy weight

Can You Have Gout and RA?

The bad answer is yes. Doctors used believe think that individuals that have RA did not get gout. But they’ve now realized that is not the case. The 2 are unmistakable conditions. So, it’s possible for an individual to have both.

Should you or a loved one have joint pain and don’t know the reason, it’s wise to see a doctor. They can examine your joints and take a blood and joint fluid test to discover the cause and choose the next steps.

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Arthritis, Gout

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Written by webtechs

12 October 2021

Rheumatoid Arthritis Vs Osteoarthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are two different forms of arthritis. And while both will affect your joints, there are many ways to determine which form of arthritis you are experiencing.

Symptoms

If you are seeing the doctor regarding any symptoms, it is crucial that you provide specific details on the joint pain you are experiencing. The details should include all the following: exact joints experiencing pain, when the pain is occurring and whether or not there are any other symptoms experienced at the same time. All of these important details will help the doctor determine whether you are dealing with OA or RA.

For reference, OA is more likely to affect spine, hands, knees and hips. RA will usually attack the small joints found in your hands and feet.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms

RA symptoms include:

Fatigue
Low fevers
Small appetite
Lumps under the skin

Osteoarthritis Symptoms

OA symptoms include:

Stiffness
Pain
Cracking/grinding of the joints
Swollen joins

Rheumatoid Arthritis Vs Osteoarthritis Differences

Osteoarthritis is, without a doubt, the most common form of arthritis today. It is considered a degenerative joint disorder. This means anyone with OA will experience a breakdown of cartilage, which cushions the joints. Wearing down the cartilage will cause bones to rub against one another. Small nerves will become exposed and pain will then be noticeable. Mild inflammation occurs with OA.

Rheumatoid arthritis, meanwhile, is an autoimmune disorder. With autoimmune disorders, the body starts attacking itself. If you are suffering from RA, your body will interpret the soft lining around the joints as a threat. The body views RA as similar to bacteria or a virus. Fluid will the build up within your joints. This fluid causes swelling, pain, inflammation and stiffness.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Vs Osteoarthritis Similarities

There are countless similarities between OA and RA, including:

Limited range of motion
Tenderness
Increased intensity of symptoms in the morning
Pain
Joint stiffness

Rheumatoid Arthritis And Osteoarthritis Risk Factors

Unfortunately, there is no way to reverse or ultimately cure OA or RA. Treatments for both ailments are meant to simply reduce joint pain. The main goal here is to slow down the activity of RA, in general.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatments

Acetaminophen
NSAIDs
Anti-inflammatories
Disease-modifying drugs

Osteoarthritis Treatments

NSAIDs
Rub-on gel/cream
Joint injections
Pain-relieving drugs

Conclusion

While there is no cure for either RA or OA, routine treatments can help you manage the pain and stiffness. Contact your doctor immediately if you believe you are experiencing any symptoms.

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Regular Post

Written by webtechs

4 August 2021

Bursitis Vs Arthritis

If are curious about the differences and similarities between bursitis and arthritis, this article should help!

What Is Bursitis?

Bursitis is simply the inflammation of bursae, which are fluid-filled scars that are located near the joints. Bursae is there to cushion muscles, tendons and bones. This will lead to reduced joint friction and inflammation, in most cases. Some things that can lead to inflammation include previous inflammatory conditions or prolonged postures.

Risk of bursitis will increase as you get older. Not just age, constant pressure on certain joints will increase the risk, as well. Any prolonged pressure on certain areas of the body can lead to bursitis, such as kneeling. A sudden injury or infection can also lead to this ailment.

The following activities have been linked to bursitis:

Sports
Gardening
Shoveling
Poor Posture
Carpentry
Musculoskeletal Structural Issues

What Is Arthritis?

Arthritis technically encompasses 100+ total diseases. The main symptom is joint pain, which causes inflammation in the body. This results in pain, stiffness, swelling and can lead to a limited range of motion. Arthritis will worsen over time if left untreated.

There are two main types of arthritis, including:

Rheumatoid Arthritis: This autoimmune disease will attack the body’s healthy cells. Generally, RA will attack multiple joints at the same time. Common areas that are impacted will include the hands, knees and wrists. In addition to causing joint damage, RA can also impact the heart, lungs and eyes.

Osteoarthritis: The most common form of arthritis, OA is generally discovered in individuals aged 65 and up. Known as the “wear and tear disease”, OA is most commonly found in hips, hands and knees.

What Is The Difference Between Arthritis And Bursitis?

While the similarities include common targeted areas and results like pain, aching and swelling, there are many differences between arthritis and bursitis. The biggest difference between the two is where the inflammation stems from. Arthritis will occur in joints, while bursitis is happening in the bursae. The inflammation location makes it possible to distinguish the two conditions.

Differences include the following:

Location Of Inflammation
Length Of Symptoms
Onset

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