WE ALL HAVE HEARD OF THE DISEASE OF AGING AND ALL OF US WILL FEEL IT ONE DAY

Arthritis is as old as man and most of the animals as well. The word arthritis comes from the Greek arthro-meaning joint and -itis or inflammation. It is a group of conditions involving damage to the joints of the body. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in people older than fifty-five years and is actually present in significant numbers in all ages. There are different forms of arthritis; each has a different cause. The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) is a result of trauma to the joint, infection of the joint, or age.

While evidence of primary ankle osteoarthritis has been discovered as far back as the dinosaurs, the first known traces of human arthritis date back as far as 4500 BC. It was noted in skeletal remains of Native Americans found in Tennessee and parts of what is now Olathe, Kansas. Evidence of arthritis has been found throughout history, from Ötzi, a mummy (circa 3000 BC) found along the border of modern Italy and Austria, to the Egyptian mummies circa 2590 BC

All arthritis features pain. Pain patterns differ depending on the arthritis and the location. Osteoarthritis is typically worse at night or after resting. Rheumatoid arthritis is generally worse in the morning as well; in the early stages; patients often have no symptoms after a morning shower. In the aged and children, pain might not be the main feature; the aged patient simply moves less, the infantile patient refuses to use the affected painful limb. Blood tests and X-rays of the affected joints often are performed to make the diagnosis. Screening blood tests are indicated if certain arthritides are suspected. These might include: rheumatoid factor, antinuclear factor (ANF), extractable nuclear antigen, and specific antibodies. Treatment options vary depending on the type of arthritis and include physical and occupational therapy, lifestyle changes (including exercise and weight control), and medications (symptomatic or targeted at the disease process causing the arthritis). Arthroplasty (joint replacement surgery) may be required in eroding forms of arthritis. We probably will all feel the pain at some time and we won’t forget it. So far there is no cure. Maybe, like cancer we will find those answers in the future.