Do I Have Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Dubbed “the wear-and-tear arthritis,” osteoarthritis causes the breakdown of the joint’s cartilage, which is the part of the joint that cushions the ends of bones. Cartilage breakdown causes bones to rub against each other, causing pain and loss of movement. One of the most common types of arthritis, affecting one in seven Americans (mostly after age forty-five and more often women than men), OA is also called degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease, or hypertrophic arthritis, and it particularly affects hands and weight-bearing joints such as those found in the back, knees, hips, and feet.

Although the exact cause is not known, genetics play a role in who is more susceptible to early cartilage breakdown. Other risk factors include obesity, previous joint injuries, and jobs that put stress on joints. Although age is a risk factor, doctors now know that OA is a disease, rather than part of “natural aging.” Most people over sixty reveal the disease on X-ray, but only about one-third of those with positive X-rays have actual symptoms in the form of lower back pain.

Effects range from very mild to severe joint stiffness and pain and can include limited movement and loss of dexterity, sometimes swelling of affected joints, and cracking or grating sounds with joint movement. Weather changes, especially to cold, damp weather, may increase the ache.

Back pain treatment for osteoarthritis focuses on decreasing pain and improving joint movement. Acetaminophen can help reduce mild pain without inflammation; and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including aspirin, are recommended if there is inflammation or the acetaminophen doesn’t help.

Other treatments include use of heat or cold for temporary pain relief; exercises to keep joints flexible; and weight control to prevent extra stress on joints. Recently, the National Institutes of Health concluded that acupuncture can be an alternative or addition to conventional osteoarthritis care. In severe cases, surgery is another option.

Osteoarthritis should not be confused with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a disease of the autoimmune system that attacks many joints throughout the body simultaneously and often begins between the ages of twenty-five and fifty but can occur in children as early as infancy.

Developing within weeks or months, rheumatoid arthritis usually affects small joints of the hands and feet, causing redness, warmth and swelling. Symptoms can include general feelings of sickness and fatigue, as well as weight loss and fever; and prolonged morning stillness. An antibody called a rheumatoid factor may be found in the blood. For this, and all types of arthritis, a rheumatologist is the medical professional to see.