We find that people often have considerable misconceptions about arthritis. It’s typically seen as something that only impacts people in their golden years. But in truth, arthritis can impact anyone of any age.
Shared Symptoms of Arthritis
People suffering from arthritic conditions will almost always have one thing in common – joint pain. However, there’s a significant divergence in symptoms between the two major arthritic categories.
- Discomfort and swelling
- Joint stiffness
- Trouble performing everyday tasks
Different Types of Arthritis
Part of the confusion around arthritic conditions stems from the fact that it’s not actually a singular ailment. Rather, there are multiple forms of the condition that have similar but still quite distinct symptoms. People familiar with one but not the other will often assume that they don’t actually suffer from arthritis due to that confusion.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common form, and it’s why people typically associate arthritic conditions with age. Osteoarthritis is essentially the cumulative impact of strain on your joints over time.
This generally means that you’re incurring minor damage to joints over an extended period. However, it can also be caused by excessive strain in the short term.
Rheumatoid
This arthritic condition is caused by the immune system rather than structural damage to your joints. It’s an autoimmune disorder, which means that your own immune system begins to attack the synovial lining of your joints.
The Importance of Early Detection
The two most common arthritic disorders are quite different in their underlying nature. One involves structural damage to your joints, while the other is an autoimmune disorder. Osteoarthritis is typically associated with age, while rheumatoid arthritis can strike anyone, no matter how young they are.
Of course, there are also exceptions to this rule of thumb. Osteoarthritis is associated with age, but we see it in a variety of situations where someone’s joints are stressed. For example, a young person who uses weight training as part of his workout might see an earlier onset of osteoarthritis as a result.
Despite the fact that the two forms stem from different underlying causes, they have a few things in common. The first is that the primary symptom of both forms is discomfort that gradually grows into pain. The second shared element is slow growth and escalation.
Joint pain typically begins in a relatively subtle way. We typically see people report that they didn’t come in for an exam because the discomfort was easy to brush off. However, this is a mistake.
The longer both forms have to grow, the more extensive the underlying damage becomes. The more prompt a diagnosis is, the speedier the condition’s treatment. So schedule a medical examination as soon as possible if you have any concerns about arthritis.