ARTHRITIS

With modern life and the trend of aging population, arthritis is no longer a concern of the elderly only. Arthritis is caused by injury, improper position, sedentary or strenuous exercises that damage the joints. Patients often feel pain in places such as shoulders, back, waist, heels, ankles, hand joints or knees… In addition, overweight is also a factor that makes the pain worse and difficult to recover.

According to a survey in 2019, the rate of musculoskeletal pain in the urban population is 14.5%, in which osteoarthritis is the most common arthritis disease.

WHAT ARE ARTHRITIS?

Arthritis is an umbrella term for all disorders that affect the structure and function of joints.

There are about 100 types of arthritis, which can be simple arthritis or arthritis that affects other organs. The two most common types of arthritis are: osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

OSTEOARTHRITIS

Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease, is a condition in which damage to the cartilage located at the ends of bones due to gradual wear and tear, causes inflammatory reactions, swelling, and decreases joint fluid. When you have osteoarthritis, the cartilage layer, which absorbs force when moving, becomes damaged, causing the ends of the bones to rub against each other, and the bone shaft curves inward. The joints most commonly affected are hands, spine, knees, and hips. This disease usually appears in middle age, especially from 50-year-old and above. However, osteoarthritis can also occur in young people, especially after trauma to the joints.

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

This is a disease related to the body’s immune system. The first site of damage in rheumatoid arthritis is the synovial membrane, then other components in the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis happens most often in women over the age of 50.