What Are The 3 Types Of Arthritis – Arthritis and tendonitis can both cause severe pain, but they are two different conditions. Learn the differences between arthritis, which involves inflammation of the joints, and tendonitis, which involves inflammation of the tendons.
Everyone hurts themselves from time to time. But pain so bad that you can barely move is a red flag that deserves your attention. If your elbow or shoulder has started hurting a lot lately, it’s entirely possible that your recent return to tennis or pickleball is to blame. If one of your fingers hurts and seems to lock up when you try to fully extend it, too much typing and typing may be to blame. But what’s really going on inside your body? Arthritis or tendinitis may be to blame for these problems. Unfortunately, the difference between arthritis and tendinitis is not always so clear. This means you’ll likely need medical attention to find out what’s behind your pain—and learn how to treat it so you can start feeling better.
What Are The 3 Types Of Arthritis
Both tendinitis and arthritis can cause pain and swelling in or near the joint, causing discomfort. Although arthritis refers to inflammation in a joint and tendinitis refers to inflammation of a tendon (which connects muscle to bone), don’t assume you can identify the exact source of your discomfort. “Patients simply know that the area hurts or notice that it’s swollen or red,” says Joseph A. Hofstutter, MD, a rheumatologist and partner at Arthritis Associates in Hixson, Tennessee.
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Whether you have an existing condition like arthritis or not, your best bet is to see a doctor and get a proper diagnosis so you can get the appropriate treatment.
Arthritis, by definition, means inflammation in or directly around a joint. Tendonitis, on the other hand, is inflammation of the tendon, which is a flexible chain-like thread that connects muscle to bone.
To add to the confusion, many people with inflammatory arthritis — especially axial arthritis or psoriatic arthritis — develop something called enthesitis as part of their disease.
Enthesitis is inflammation of the point (enthesis) where the tendon or ligament connects to the bone. “Most doctors use the term ‘tendonitis’ to refer to inflammation of the sheath that covers the tendon rather than where the tendon attaches to the bone, which they would call ‘enthesitis,'” says Dr. Hafsteuter.
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In other words, encephalitis and tendinitis are technically not the same thing. But they can cause similar symptoms and be confused with each other.
In short, no. Although both are inflammations—arthritis is inflammation of joints and tendonitis is inflammation of tendons—if one does not directly cause the development of the other.
However, these conditions sometimes overlap. Dr. “People with psoriatic arthritis often get encephalitis and tendinitis,” says Hofstötter. In fact, encephalitis is a unique feature of psoriatic arthritis and axial arthritis (compared to other forms of inflammatory arthritis).
Both arthritis and tendinitis cause pain, swelling, and inflammation. If you feel like it’s happening around the joint, it can be hard to tell what the problem is. Both arthritis and tendinitis can cause:
Rheumatoid Arthritis (ra)
Because the symptoms can be very similar, doctors may rely on information about where the pain occurs and when the pain first started to determine whether your problem may be arthritis or tendinitis. For example, a painful knee that has been slowly deteriorating over the years is more likely to have osteoarthritis, while someone with sudden pain in the back of their leg may have Achilles tendonitis. Your doctor should also be aware of any risk factors that may make you more vulnerable to one or the other.
If you suspect you have tendonitis—or if you have pain and you’re not sure whether it’s tendonitis or arthritis—there are several ways your doctor can diagnose it. They include:
There are many ways to relieve tendinitis pain. Sometimes relaxing the affected area and applying ice is enough to do the trick. But additional treatment may be:
Whichever option you and your doctor decide on, you should know that most people recover completely from tendinitis. Sometimes the problem resolves itself, although it can take weeks or even months, so plan to be patient.
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An interview with Dana Barsom, MD, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist with the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York
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Arthritis actually refers to a collection of different conditions that affect the joints – there are at least 100 types of arthritis. The symptoms of various types of arthritis are similar, but there are also many variations in the type, symptoms and treatment, which means that it is necessary to have painful joints examined by a qualified doctor to ensure the correct diagnosis and treatment plan.
There are other conditions that can cause arthritis-type symptoms, including autoimmune conditions such as lupus, inflammatory conditions such as Crohn’s disease, and chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia or polymyalgia rheumatica.
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When someone comes to a doctor’s appointment with joint pain, the doctor will use a combination of methods to arrive at a definite diagnosis. This usually begins with an examination of the shape and function of the joints and a discussion of symptoms, medical and family history.
Some types of arthritis can be confirmed or ruled out with blood tests. The results of some blood tests may come back after a few days. The doctor may also order some form of medical imaging such as X-ray, CT or MRI to help visualize the joints and create an accurate treatment plan.
Deterioration of our cartilage, the soft connective tissue in our joints, is a common cause of arthritis. This can be caused by normal wear and tear, joint infection or previous injuries. For some forms of arthritis, a family history of the condition may contribute to your risk of developing it. A common form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, is an autoimmune disease and occurs when our body’s immune system attacks the body’s tissues. While the exact cause is unknown, genetics can affect our chances of developing this disease.
Some people are more at risk of developing arthritis than others – a family history of any form of arthritis may make people more vulnerable to this type of arthritis. Women are more at risk than men, and seem to develop worse symptoms. People of any age can develop arthritis, and symptoms usually begin in an already damaged joint.
Normal Arthritic Human Joints Types Arthritis Stock Vector (royalty Free) 397884679
Autoimmune forms of arthritis are more common in people who already have autoimmune conditions, even seemingly unrelated ones like inflammatory bowel disease or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes joint and movement problems. RA is often associated with other autoimmune diseases, and at least 25% of people with one autoimmune disease develop other related conditions. RA is the most common form of arthritis in Singapore, and it can cause joint swelling and deformity, and long-term damage. Treatments for RA include immunosuppressive drugs and biologics to reduce the disease as well as treatments for symptoms.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that worsens over time, and when the natural layers of cartilage that cover our joints wear away, it causes pain and stiffness between the bones. Damaged bones move and may break, or bone layers can grow and cause other problems. Osteoarthritis usually appears in previously damaged joints. Being overweight can also make osteoarthritis especially bad. In later stages careful symptom management or even surgery is usually required.
Gout is a special form of arthritis caused by the accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints. It tends to follow a pattern of flare-ups and can usually be managed well with a healthy diet and lifestyle. The uric acid crystals that cause gout form when the body breaks down foods that contain purines. Avoiding purine-rich foods can help prevent or reduce the effects of gout. Foods rich in purines include meat, seafood, alcoholic beverages, and beverages containing highly processed sugars.
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Psoriatic arthritis is a type of autoimmune arthritis similar to RA, but occurs in people with the autoimmune skin disease psoriasis. It is rare but possible for someone to develop psoriatic arthritis without having a skin condition. Like RA, psoriatic arthritis is often treated with biologics and immunosuppressants.
Reactive arthritis is an acute condition in which the body’s response to an existing or new infection causes the immune system to attack healthy tissue, especially in