Early Symptoms of 4 Types of Arthritis
Arthritis is one of the most common conditions in America, with an estimated one in five people being diagnosed.
When arthritis occurs, the cartilage that normally cushions and protects your bones does not function properly. This causes the cartilage to break down and inflammation and swelling to occur within the joint. To learn more about four different types of arthritis and the symptoms they cause, continue reading.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that mainly affects the large, weight-bearing joints. This includes your hips, knees, and lower back. In some cases, osteoarthritis can impact the neck, fingers, and toes. Early osteoarthritis symptoms can include:
- Soreness in the joints
- Stiff joints in the knees and back
- Pain and difficulty moving
Symptoms of osteoarthritis are often worse in the morning, immediately upon waking up. After long periods of inactivity, your joints will be severely swollen and feel sorer than at other points in the day.
Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune condition that causes the immune system to turn against the rest of the body and attack itself. Psoriatic arthritis can affect the entirety of the body and produce symptoms like:
- Swollen joints
- Joint pain
- Rashes
- Eye redness
- Painful eyes
- Changes to the nails
- Swollen fingers or toes
Psoriatic arthritis is not the only type of arthritis that affects the immune system. Another type of arthritis that acts as an autoimmune disorder is rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Since rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder, it can be systemic and impact the rest of the body in addition to impacting the joints. For this reason, symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can be wide-ranging and manifest in a number of different areas. Early rheumatoid arthritis symptoms include:
- Joint stiffness
- Soreness
- Shortness of breath
- Fever
- Chest pain
- Eye inflammation
- Dry eyes
Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis appear in a symmetrical manner. This means that if there is swelling and stiffness in your left knee, it will also be present in the right knee.
Gout
Gout is a distinct type of arthritis in how it manifests. It is the only type of arthritis that primarily affects one joint at a time. This is most often the big toe, but in some cases, it is the ankle or knee. When gout occurs in one of these joints, it can lead to:
- Swelling
- Soreness
- Stiffness
- Pain
- Difficulty moving
- Redness
When someone has gout, it may occur in the same joint repeatedly, or it can appear in a different joint each time it flares up.
Potential Arthritis Therapies
When it comes to arthritis, there are a number of different treatment options. Depending on the type of arthritis you have, symptoms may be treated with prescription medications, physical therapy, or peptide injections.
Regenerative medicine, also known as stem cell therapy, may also offer options to manage arthritis. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown promise in the field of regenerative medicine, including the treatment of arthritis.
MSCs are multipotent cells that can differentiate into various cell types, including bone, cartilage, and fat cells. They also possess immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties, making them attractive for arthritis therapy.
In the context of arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, MSCs can be used to potentially regenerate damaged cartilage, reduce inflammation, and modulate the immune response.
This post was written by a medical professional at Stemedix Inc. At Stemedix we provide access to Regenerative Medicine for back pain, also known as stem cell for Arthritis. Regenerative medicine has the natural potential to help improve symptoms sometimes lost from the progression of many conditions.
