Know About Arthritis In Elders

An orthopedist in New York gave us an enlightening talk on “Arthritis in elders” last week. Arthritis, a condition common in elders above the age of 65 affects the musculoskeletal system especially the joints. He said that there were more than 100 types of arthritis, with the most common arthritis among elders being osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

He said osteoarthritis is the progressive wear and tear of joint cartilage, with it no longer acting as shock absorbers for the joints. With the damage of the cartilage, the tendons and ligaments get stretched that leads to the bones rubbing against each other and severe pain. Elders suffering from this condition would complain of sharp or dull pain in the joints of the fingers, knees, hips and spine and morning stiffness.  

The orthopedist in New York elaborated and said that the symptoms of this type of arthritis develops slowly and worsens with time. There could be pain in the joint during or after use or even after a period of no activity. Tenderness could be felt when pressure is applied on the joint especially early in the morning. With the joint losing its flexibility it is quite common to experience a grating sensation while using the joint. You would also find hard lumps or bone spurs or swelling around the joint.  

Rheumatoid arthritis, the next type of arthritis is an autoimmune disease characterized by sharp pain, swelling and deformity in the joints of fingers, feet and wrists. This type of arthritis affects the synovial membrane and is found more commonly in women than men, with the joint pain and inflammation being severe and disabling. 

Continuing on rheumatoid arthritis, the bone specialist said that the elder would find the same joints like fingers, arms, legs and wrists in each side of the body painfully swollen, inflamed and stiff; the symptoms being worst in the morning for 30 minutes after rising.  There could be bumps of tissue under the skin of the elder’s arm that are tender on touch. This arthritis affects the smaller joints of the hands, wrists, ankles and feet to your elbows, knees, hips, neck, shoulders and jaw and could with time affect many joints.

The doctor continued to tell us about the causes for arthritis. Ones genetic makeup could contribute to a higher risk for arthritis; also those working in physically demanding and repetitive jobs could be affected.  One more of the risk factor is a previous injury, with it being common for those that have infection or allergic reactions to be affected by what is known as short-term or reactive arthritis. Arthritis symptoms could also be brought about or worsened by certain foods. Lastly the doctor pointed out obesity, where strain is exerted on the joints as one of the predominant causes for arthritis.

It was great to learn some facts about arthritis in elders from the orthopedist in New York.

Image Courtesy: Bing