(also referred to as ...)
OA, Osteoarthritis, RA, Rheumatoid Arthritis
Description
The word "arthritis" means "joint inflammation" and, in most cases, references to arthritis refer to the condition known as osteoarthritis.
Some common misconceptions of arthritis include:
- Arthritis only affects the elderly.
- It only causes minor aches and pains.
- Nothing can be done to prevent and treat the condition.
These beliefs are all false.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, though it is rarely found in people under forty. Originally called "wear-and-tear" arthritis, this degenerative joint disease occurs when the cartilage in joints fails to maintain normal structure and progressively deteriorate. With this protective padding gone, bone painfully rubs on bone, leading to decreased mobility.
It is interesting to note that osteoarthritis affects almost all vertebrates, including amphibians, ancient animals, birds, cave bears, fish, mammals, and reptiles. Bats and sloths, which hang upside down, are not affected, while water-supported dolphins, porpoises, and whales are. This cross-species trend indicates that OA has accompanied the evolution of the bony skeleton, suggesting an ancient Paleozoic repair mechanism, rather than a disease according to conventional models.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) often affects people under forty, including children, and affects two to three times more women than men. Many people find that this condition prevents them from fulfilling everyday tasks.
RA is generally thought to be an autoimmune disease, where the immune system becomes confused and attacks itself -- in this case, the joints. In normal joint function, joints are lubricated by synovial fluid secreted by the synovial membranes found in the inner layer of the joint capsule (the outer layer is fibrous). In RA, the immune system mistakes the synovial membranes as foreign and attacks normally healthy joints. This results in a chronic inflammatory condition that can affect the entire body. The layer of nutrient-providing synovial fluid becomes thinner and the cartilage in and around joints become damaged and/or destroyed over time from physical wear and nutrient deprivation. When (and if) the area heals, the cartilage becomes more fibrous, leading to stiffer joints. This situation, compounded with inflammation, makes RA a very painful and uncomfortable condition.
