Types of Arthritis: Symptoms, Risk Factors, and Medications

Highlights

Over 100 types of arthritis exist, many of which are incurable.
The most common variants are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia.
Doctors use a wide selection of drugs to manage the symptoms of the various types of arthritis.
Use BidRX to get the best price for your arthritis medication.

Arthritis is an autoimmune condition that attacks the joints, the tissues around them, and other connective tissues. The body is highly creative about attacking itself: More than 100 types of arthritis exist. How do you know which one you have, and how can you treat it?

The Most Common Types of Arthritis

When you have arthritis, your immune system identifies your joints and connective tissues as intruders and attacks them. The immune attack causes inflammation and pain. Arthritis can cause severe, debilitating pain that some sufferers rate as high as 7 on a scale of 0 to 10.

The most common types of arthritis are:

Osteoarthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Childhood arthritis
Fibromyalgia
Lupus
Gout
Psoriatic arthritis

Doctors can treat arthritis and its variants effectively. Given the pain that arthritis can cause, even symptomatic treatments can radically improve the quality of life of arthritis patients.

If you have arthritic pain, talk to your doctor about it. Do not attempt to self-diagnose. Only trained medical professionals can set accurate diagnostics and treatments.

Osteoarthritis

Affecting close to 33 million adults in the U.S., osteoarthritis is the most common manifestation of the condition. Due to its ubiquity, we tend to think of it as normal wear and tear that comes with age. Age is, indeed, one of the risk factors for osteoarthritis.

When osteoarthritis attacks one of your joints, it reduces your range of motion. You may experience pain, stiffness, and swelling.

The root of the physical aspect of the problem is the breakdown of the cartilage that allows your joints to glide smoothly. With the cartilage gone, bone rubs against bone, and your joint deteriorates.

Osteoarthritis Risk Factors

You are more likely to develop osteoarthritis if:

You injure or overuse your joints
You are a woman over 50
You have a genetic predisposition for this type of arthritis
You are of advanced age
You are obese

In addition to the extra weight obesity places on your joints, its metabolic ramifications also make you more likely to develop arthritis.

The Treatment and Management of Osteoarthritis

Doctors can’t cure osteoarthritis, but they have many options for treating and managing it. If you find yourself struggling with joint pain, try to:

Lose weight
Be more active physically and build up muscle
Turn to physical therapy
Use supportive devices
Opt for restorative surgery
Use osteoarthritis medications

Osteoarthritis Medication

If your arthritis does not respond to lifestyle changes and other drugless therapies, your doctor may prescribe:

Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
Oral and topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, naproxen, and diclofenac.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that attacks several joints at once. The main symptom of rheumatoid arthritis is inflammation that damages the joints, reducing their range of motion and causing them to swell. Over time, in addition to the pain, the joint may develop deformity.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk Factors

You are more likely to develop this type of arthritis if:

You are a smoker
You are a woman
You inherit a genetic predisposition for the condition
You are obese
You are older than 60

Children whose parents smoke and expose them to second-hand smoke are more likely to develop RA as adults.

The Treatment and Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis

To improve your quality of life, use the following RA management techniques:

Quit smoking.
Try to live a physically active life.
Lose weight and maintain a healthy weight.
Join a self-management education program.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Medication

Doctors can treat RA with physical therapy, surgery, or drugs. Many prescription-based, OTC, and off-label drug options exist to treat this condition. For RA, your doctor may prescribe:

Ibuprofen, aspirin, or naproxen. These drugs are available without a prescription.
Methotrexate, meloxicam, sulfasalazine, prednisone, and others. These are prescription-based treatment options.
Doxycycline, atorvastatin, and acetaminophen with hydrocodone as off-label solutions — meaning these drugs are FDA approved but not for this particular use.

Childhood Arthritis

Childhood arthritis is another name for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Like other arthritis types, this condition affects the joints and is incurable. With the right medication and management, some children can achieve permanent remission of the disease.

Doctors do not yet know what causes childhood arthritis and have not defined any risk factors.

The disease attacks the joints, causing pain, swelling, stiffness, fever, fatigue, and loss of appetite.

Childhood Arthritis Medication

To treat juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, doctors may prescribe:

NSAIDs
Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs
Corticosteroids
Biological agents

The treatment options are similar to those available for adult rheumatoid arthritis.

Fibromyalgia

This type of arthritis affects the entire body. People with fibromyalgia experience widespread pain and stiffness in their bodies. As a result, they may develop sleep problems, depression, and anxiety. Fibromyalgia may also result in digestive problems like constipation, bloating, and bowel irritation.

Fibromyalgia Risk Factors

If you are middle-aged or older, you are more likely to develop fibromyalgia, although children may fall victim to the condition as well. Other risk factors for this type of arthritis are:

Being a woman
Having rheumatoid arthritis or lupus
Being obese
Inheriting a genetic predisposition for the disease
Catching a viral infection
Experiencing extreme stress

The Treatment and Management of Fibromyalgia

Doctors have several options to improve the quality of life of fibromyalgia sufferers.

Aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercises may work.
Stress management techniques may also relieve the symptoms.
Good sleeping habits can also improve patients’ quality of life.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is an option as well.
Doctors may prescribe medication to lessen the impact of the symptoms.

Fibromyalgia Medication

Doctors can prescribe the following medications to patients suffering from fibromyalgia.

Lupus

Lupus is one of the highly voracious types of arthritis that can attack any body part and destroy the quality of life of sufferers. Lupus symptoms are diverse and make the disease difficult to diagnose.

One person with the condition may have swollen joints and fever. Another may complain about kidney problems and issues with the eyes.

Lupus is a disease that flares up and goes into remission periodically. The goal of lupus treatments is to weaken flare-ups and prolong the periods of remission.

In addition to the mentioned symptoms, lupus sufferers may also complain of:

Anemia
Mouth sores
Hair loss
Light sensitivity
Rashes
Eye inflammation and dry eyes
Fatigue

Lupus Risk Factors

You are more likely to develop lupus if:

You are a woman.
You are between 15 and 45.
You are African American, Asian, or Hispanic

The Treatment and Management of Lupus

To manage your lupus, you must learn what triggers your flare-ups and the signs that foretell a flare-up. Try to live a healthy, balanced life, get plenty of good-quality sleep, and limit your time in the sun or under fluorescent lights.

You will also need to watch your diet because avoiding sunshine and light may cause vitamin D deficiency.

Lupus Medication

Your doctor may prescribe the following medications to alleviate your lupus symptoms:

Aspirin — the only OTC drug that is used for lupus
Hydroxychloroquine
Prednisone
Belimumab
Triamcinolone
Corticotrophin
Cortisone

Some doctors may recommend cyclophosphamide and mycophenolate mofetil for off-label use against lupus.

Gout

Gout is one of the more painful types of arthritis. It singles out a joint and attacks it repeatedly, causing painful bouts of swelling, inflammation, and sensations of heat.

Gout Risk Factors

Unlike other types of arthritis, which are more common in women, gout is more commonly found in men. Other risk factors, besides being male, are:

Obesity
Some health conditions like diabetes, metabolic disease, and hypertension
Alcohol
Foods high in sugar
A diet rich in red meat and fish like trout and tuna

The Treatment and Management of Gout

Being physically active and losing weight are the first steps to take to manage your gout. Eat a healthy diet and talk to your doctor about gout medication.

Gout Medication

Your doctor will try to alleviate the pain of your gout flare-ups by prescribing NSAIDs like ibuprofen. Some steroids also work against gout, as does colchicine, an anti-inflammatory drug.

Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriasis is a skin condition that causes red, rash-like patches that cause the skin to shed in whitish scales. Psoriasis can occur on its on or go hand-in-hand with arthritis.

The symptoms of psoriatic arthritis are many and diverse.

Back pain
Joint inflammation and pain
Swollen fingers and toes
Eye inflammation
Changes in nail structure

Psoriatic Arthritis Risk Factors

If you have a family history of psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, you have a higher chance of developing this disease. Other risk factors include:

Age
Having psoriasis
Genetic defects that predispose you to the disease

The Treatment and Management of Psoriatic Arthritis

Doctors can’t cure psoriatic arthritis. Treatment focuses on managing the symptoms and protecting the joints.

Psoriatic Arthritis Medication

To control the pain and other symptoms, doctors may prescribe:

NSAIDs like ibuprofen and naproxen
DMARDs like methotrexate
Biologic agents like adalimumab
Anti-inflammatory medications like apremilast

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