Arthritis effects millions of people every day. It is reality most of us will face as we age. Understanding what it is and what causes it, may help you experience less of a dramatic on-set as you develop the disease in your life.

The two promary types that we may have to deal with are; Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis…

Arthritis is an inflammation or swelling of one or a number of your joints. There are many conditions that affect the joints and tissues around joints and other connective tissues. The symptoms vary from person to person, depending on which type of arthritis you have. Joint pain and general stiffness are typical.

The most common form of arthritis is Osteoarthritis (OA). It’s a degenerative joint disease. The hands, hips, and knees are the most common areas it occurs. With OA, the cartilage around the joint starts to break down and the underlying bone(s) becomes damaged. As the wear progresses, pain, stiffness, and swelling become more pronounced. Reduced function and disability are the result. Arthritis is caused by a breakdown of the joint cartilage between bones.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease. That means your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body, causing inflammation and pain in the affected areas.

It mainly attacks the joints, usually many joints at once. The main joints are the hands, wrists, and knees. It causes damage to the joint tissue. This causes chronic pain, unsteadiness (lack of balance), 

It often affects other tissues in your body such as the lungs, heart, etc.

As you age be sure you ask your doctor to guide you through the options that can help midigate the challanges of living with arthritis. You  may find at one point in your life, Orlando physical therapy just might be an option for relief and management of your pain.