Adaptive clothing makes dressing can be easier for Arthritis and reduced mobility, strength and dexterity

Diagnosis

Arthritis is usually diagnosed by the symptoms and a physical examination. In making a diagnosis, related factors, such as your occupation, activities that may strain joints (such as regular sporting activities), medical history, and any history of arthritis in your family, will be taken into account.

An X-Ray is particularly useful for identifying osteoarthritis, as it can highlight the narrowed space between the bones in a joint. It can also show whether there is any calcification, which is where calcium builds up in the body tissue, causing it to harden.

Occasionally, a computerised tomography scan (CT scan) or magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI scan) is used to identify arthritis.

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Glossary

Joints

Joints are the connection point between two bones that allow movement.

MRI

MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging. It is the use of magnets and radio waves to take detailed pictures of inside the body.

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Treatment

As everyone experiences arthritis in a different way, individual treatment and management advice is usually given. It is important to start treatment as early as possible after symptoms begin in order to reduce further damage to joints and improve quality of life.

The treatment of arthritis usually involves a range of healthcare professionals. These may include:

• your GP,
• arthritis specialist (rheumatologist),
• physiotherapist,
• occupational therapist,
• nurse specialist,
• dietitian,
• podiatrist,
• pharmacist, and
• social worker.

Treatments for osteoarthritis

The medicines prescribed for osteoarthritis tend to fall into three groups:

• analgesics - such as paracetamol. They help to relieve pain.
• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) - such as ibuprofen and aspirin. However, when taken over long periods, or in high doses, these medicines can lead to digestive problems and bleeding in the stomach. Aspirin should not be given to children under 16 years of age. Cox-2 selective inhibitors are a type of NSAID which are designed to be less harmful to the stomach. However, research has linked the use of Cox-2 inhibitors to an increased risk of strokes, raised blood pressure, heart disease and hear attacks, so it is important to make your GP aware if you have a history of high blood pressure or high cholesterol, or if you smoke.
• corticosteroids - these are injected directly into the affected joint. However, this is not recommended on a long term basis because of serious side effects, such as wasting away of tissue surrounding the joint.

Sometimes, surgery (arthroplasty) may be used to treat severe cases of osteoarthritis. Arthroplasty involves either reconstructing, or replacing, a diseased joint. For arthritis patients it can help restore movement and function to the joint. However, not all joints can be artificially replaced. Other possible procedures might include realignment of the joint (osteotomy).

Treatments for rheumatoid arthritis

The main objective for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is to reduce the damaging inflammation. Some of the main treatments are outlined below.

• Disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) can help stop the progress of rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, the earlier these are prescribed, the more effective they are. DMARDs are thought to have fewer side effects than long-term use of drugs, such as paracetamol. However, there are some associated risks including diarrhoea, nausea, skin rash and hair-loss. DMARDs are often used in conjunction with NSAIDs
• Relaxation techniques and physiotherapy can be effective in treating some types of arthritis, particularly those that involve swelling of the joints.
• Some alternative techniques include low-level laser therapy (LLLT), and low doses of orally administered corticosteroids, although the evidence of these treatments being beneficial is limited.
• New medicines, such as tumour necrosis factor (TNF ) blockers, are in development and are showing very promising results. However, this type of medicine is not appropriate for everyone with arthritis.

There are a number of other therapies that have been used to treat arthritis. However, not all of them have been clinically proven to be effective. These therapies include:

• massage,
• acupuncture - the insertion of fine needles at chosen points on the skin,
• osteopathy - a mixture of gentle and forceful massage techniques aimed to reduce pain and swelling,
• chiropractics - involves careful manipulation of the joints, muscles and tendons to provide pain relief,
• hydrotherapy - exercise programmes in either a warm shallow swimming pool or a special hydrotherapy bath,
• electrotherapy - uses electrical impulses (tiny electrical shocks) to stimulate the nervous system, and
• nutritional supplements - such as glucosamine sulphate, chondroitin and fish oil.

Carers

If you are looking after someone who suffers from arthritis that affects them so much that they need you to help them with their activities, Carers Direct can help you. On Carers Direct you can find out all about how to get help with caring for the person you look after, your legal and employment rights, and getting benefits on Carers Direct.

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Glossary

Joints

Joints are the connection point between two bones that allow movement.

Pain

Pain is an unpleasant physical or emotional feeling that your body produces as a warning sign that it has been damaged.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fatty substance made by the body that lives in blood and tissue. It is used to make bile acid, hormones and vitamin D.

Tissue

Body tissue is made up of groups of cells that perform a specific job, such as protecting the body against infection, producing movement or storing fat.  

Stomach

The sac-like organ of the digestive system. It helps digest food by churning it and mixing it with acids to break it down into smaller pieces.

Swelling

Inflammation is the body's response to infection, irritation or injury, which causes redness, swelling, pain and sometimes a feeling of heat in the affected area.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is a treatment that uses physical movements, massage and exercise to relieve illness or injury.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a complementary treatment that uses needles on specific parts of the body.

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Causes

The cause of osteoarthritis is not fully known. One theory is that some people are genetically predisposed to developing the disease, but this has not yet been proven.

Factors that may contribute to the development of osteoarthritis include:

• obesity, which puts added strain on joints,
• jobs, or activities, that involve repetitive movements of a particular joint, or
• previous damage to the joint, such as from a sports injury.

Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by a fault in the immune system that makes the body to attack its own tissues. This may be inherited genetically (passed on from a family member).

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Disease
A disease is an illness or condition that interferes with normal body functions.

Obesity

Obesity is when a person has an abnormally high amount of body fat.

Joints

Joints are the connection point between two bones that allow movement.

Immune system

The immune system is the body's defence system, which helps protect it from disease, bacteria and viruses.

Tissues

Body tissue is made up of groups of cells that perform a specific job, such as protecting the body against infection, producing movement or storing fat.

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Prevention

Controlling your weight may help to ease pressure on your joints. Weight control can also help avoid stress, or injury, to your joints and can prevent, or reduce, the severity of osteoarthritis.

It is not true that avoiding exercise will help reduce joint problems in later life. Weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, will help to prevent osteoarthritis by increasing the strength of the muscles that support your joints. Good posture can assist the strengthening of healthy joint structures.

Having physiotherapy, and using a walking stick, can help prevent existing osteoarthritis from becoming worse. There is no known way to prevent rheumatoid arthritis.

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