Arthritis

Arthritis is a general name for more than 100 different joint disorders that involve inflammation in one or more of our joints, the tissue around our joints and other connective tissue. The main causes for this disease can be trauma, an infection or simply old age.

Our joints are located throughout our body and are defined as an area where two bones meet and connect. A joint's main function is to allow movement where the two bones connect. We have joints in out hips, knees, shoulders, elbows, ankles and several other locations throughout out body.
There are three different ways in which our bones connect in the joints: connective tissue (a fibrous joint), cartilage (a cartilaginous joint) and cases where they are not directly joined, but the joint is formed by the dense irregular connective tissue (a synovial joint).

Arthritis Video

Arthritis Types

Although including over 100 different types of arthritis, two are considered to be the most common types:

• Osteoarthritis – A type of arthritis that points to the degradation of the joints. This kind of arthritis mainly affects the hips, knees and hands.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis – A type of arthritis that mainly attacks synovial joints (mainly the hands and wrists) and is considered a chronic disease that causes inflammation in the joints.

Other less common types of arthritis include psoriatic arthritis, septic arthritis, lupus (arthritis is one of the symptoms), juvenile idiopathic arthritis and gout.

Arthritis Symptoms

Although considered a disease that affects mainly adults from the age of 65 and up, arthritis can actually affect people of all ages. Some of the symptoms that are shared by the common types of arthritis include:

• Joint pain
• Stiffness feeling
• Inflammation and swelling in joint areas

There are arthritis types that also affect other organs in our body, and may lead to other illnesses and conditions, these may include:

• Feeling unwell and fatigue
• Fever
• Weight loss
• Trouble sleeping
• Gland swelling (swollen lymph nodes)

Arthritis Treatments

Treatments for arthritis depend on the exact type of the disease, its progression and stage, as an accurate diagnosis from your physician will increase treatments odds. An orthopedist has many options for treatment to choose from and can administer cold-pack application, paraffin wax dips, different types of medication (anti-inflammatory or immune-altering), a physical therapy regimen and orthopedic bracing (splinting).

A lifestyle change can also be recommended by the doctor, as this will include a weight loss plan, exercise and a healthier lifestyle in general. The final method of treatment will be surgery.

Arthritis Surgery

The surgical way to treat arthritis will be a partial or total joint replacement procedure. This will be recommended in particular cases where the joint is worn out and the arthritis is in a very progressive stage. The most common types of joint replacement procedure are knee replacement and hip replacement surgery, however surgeries replacing all joints are available for patients (including the wrist, shoulder, ankle, elbow and more).

Arthritis Treatment Abroad

As stated above, a precise diagnosis is a key element for the arthritis treatment. TicketMed is affiliated with the best physicians in the field who will provide expert analysis and recommend the most suitable treatment for you.

In addition, as arthritis surgery can be very costly for patients, the joint replacement niche has become a big and integral part of the global medical tourism industry. We will be happy to assist in in choosing you destination to undergo joint replacement surgery abroad. Contact us or simply ask for a quote.