The creaking in your knees when you get up in the morning, the stiffness in your fingers that makes it difficult to hold a cup of coffee, the pain that appears without warning and doesn’t always go away: these signs, often ignored or attributed to the easy passage of time, can be the first symptoms of arthritis, one of the most prevalent and least understood diseases in the modern world.
The term “arthritis” does not refer to a single disease, but rather a set of more than one hundred conditions that have in common the inflammation of one or more joints. The word comes from Greek arthron (joint) and itis (inflammation), and although it is almost always associated with old age, it can occur at any age, even in children.
Its most common symptoms include pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of motion in the affected joints. However, depending on the type, it can also affect internal organs, skin and eyes.
Types of arthritis
Osteoarthritis. The most common. Progressive wear of articular cartilage. It mainly affects the knees, hips and hands.
Rheumatoid arthritis. Autoimmune disease. The immune system attacks the joints, causing chronic inflammation and deformity.
Psoriatic arthritis. Associated with psoriasis. It can cause inflammation in joints and tendons, with symptoms on the skin.
Drop. Accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints. It causes episodes of sudden, intense pain.
Causes and risks
There is no single cause. Arthritis is the result of the interaction of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors.
Hereditary predisposition plays an important role, especially in rheumatoid arthritis, but it is not decisive.
Being overweight increases the mechanical load on the joints; sedentary lifestyle weakens them; smoking aggravates inflammatory processes; and previous injuries can accelerate joint wear.
How it is diagnosed
The diagnosis of arthritis is fundamentally clinical: the doctor evaluates the symptoms, family history and performs a physical examination of the joints. Depending on the case, you may order blood tests – which include inflammatory markers such as CRP or sedimentation rate, and specific antibodies such as rheumatoid part or anti-CCP – as well as imaging tests: x-rays, ultrasounds or MRIs to assess the condition of the cartilage and surrounding tissues.
The key is not to ignore the symptoms. Joint pain that persists for more than six weeks, especially if it is accompanied by morning stiffness, is a sign to consult a specialist without delay.
Treatment
For years, arthritis treatment was limited to pain relief. Today the panorama is radically different. Pharmacological advances have made it possible not only to control symptoms, but also to slow the progression of the disease.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, disease-modifying drugs (DMARDs) and modern biological treatments—which act on specific mechanisms of the immune system—have transformed the prognosis of many patients.
Physiotherapy, occupational therapy and, in advanced cases, orthopedic surgery complete the available therapeutic arsenal. The goal is always the same: maintain the patient’s quality of life and preserve the maximum possible functionality.
Recommendations from now on
- Maintaining a healthy weight significantly reduces the load on the knee and hip joints.
- Moderate, unparalleled exercise—swimming, cycling, yoga—strengthens the muscles that support your joints without damaging them.
- An anti-inflammatory diet rich in omega-3s, fruits, vegetables, and olive oil can help reduce chronic inflammation.
- Avoid tobacco: smokers have twice the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.
- Protecting joints at work and sport: using appropriate equipment and adopting correct postures make a difference in the long term.
- Consult your doctor at the first symptoms, without waiting for the pain to become unbearable.
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