Identify some of the causes of bone and joint problems experienced throughout life.
- Falling, especially on your knee, can causes painful bursitis (inflammation of the fluid-filled sac that lies between a
- Sprains and dislocations can cause ligament or tendon damage because of excessive stretching or tearinig
- Arthritis: joint inflammation
-- There are over 100 inflammatory or degenerative diseases (arthritis) that cause damage to the joints
-- All forms of arthritis begin with the same symptoms caused by the synovial membrane thickening and fluid production decreasing, causing more friction and
pain
Chronic Arthritis
- Osteoarthritis: degenerative condition
--This is the most common form of arthritis
--Typically affects older people
--The articular cartilages eventually break down, soften, and fray, causing the exposed bone to thicken
and extra bone tissue (bone spurs) to grow around the margins of the eroded cartilages
--Most commonly affects the joints of the fingers, the cervical and lumbar joints of the spine, and the
larger joints of the lower body (knees and hips)
- Rheumatoid arthritis: inflammatory disorder
--Usually occurs between the ages of 40 and 50, but it can begin at any age
--It is an autoimmune disease, meaning the body's immune system is trying to destroy its own tissues
--Begins with the inflammation of the synovial membranes
--Inflammatory chemicals (white blood cells and others) are released in extreme amounts into the joint
cavities
--These chemicals destroy the cartilages of the joints
- Gouty arthritis: uric acid accumulated in joints
--Usually occurs in men over the age of 30
--Tends to affect the big toe the most of any joint
--Uric acid (a normal waste product of nucleic acid metabolism) is deposited in soft tissues, forming needle-shaped
crystals
For more information about bone and joint issues check out this link: http://www.medicinenet.com/joint_pain/symptoms.htm