Arthritis, a joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints, is a common ailment to those of age 65 or older. In 2013, 1 in every 5 American adults was diagnosed with some form of arthritis. There are over 100 different types of arthritis but the common three are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout. Osteoarthritis The most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease, which involves the degradation of joint cartilage and its underlying bone. Symptoms include sore or achy joints, stiffness, bone enlargements in the middle and end joints of fingers, loss of flexibility and joint swelling. When the cartilage that cushions the end of the bones in your joints deteriorates, it causes the bones to rub against one another. This is what causes osteoarthritis. Currently there is no known cure or prevention for osteoarthritis, but certain measures can be taken to keep your pain levels low and help you maintain joint movement. Rheumatoid Arthritis This form of arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that usually affects the small joints in your hands and feet. It affects about one-tenth as many people as osteoarthritis. Some symptoms between the two are similar, such as swollen joints and morning stiffness, but the two are quite different in many other ways. Unlike osteoarthritis, which is caused by the daily wear and tear on joints, rheumatoid arthritis happens when your body’s immune system mistakenly attacks your own body’s tissues. In addition to the symptoms it shares with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis also has whole-body symptoms such as frequent fatigue and an overall ill feeling. Those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis are more susceptible to osteoporosis, heart problems, lung disease and carpal tunnel. Currently there’s no way to prevent rheumatoid...
