arthritis

Arthritis and Women – All You Need To Know About This Unwanted Relationship

The term arthritis is used to define a bone or joint pain, swelling and rigidity. Arthritis is not a common disorder, although various types exist among people. 23 percent of all grown-ups — more than 54 million — have arthritis in the United States. Approximately 24 million adults with arthritis struggling to have a pain-free living and more than 1 in 4 adults with arthritis experience extreme articular pain.

Arthritis can make life challenging by pain and difficulty. Arthritis signs can be new week after week or even day after day. Long-term complications are prevalent in many cases, such as osteoarthritis, or rheumatoid arthritis.

But you can control the problems with the right treatment and strategy. Several pain doctors in College Park have confirmed to diagnose worse case scenarios and devise a treatment plan or refer them to the relevant specialist doctor i.e. an orthopedic or chiropractor.

Regardless of your condition being physically active will help you stay healthy and will be much better for the health in general.

Risk Factors for Arthritis

Some of the most common reasons why people are suffering from Arthritis are:

·         Genes

Fortunately or unfortunately, arthritis comes from genes. If anyone in your family is suffering from the condition, you are more likely to develop the condition.

·         Age

Age can play a huge role in developing arthritis as with age your overall health deteriorates and the bones become weaker.

·         Gender

Women are more prone to developing arthritis than men.

·         Joint Injuries

People who exert a lot on their joints even because of sports and other physical activities are prone to developing arthritis.

·         Obesity

Having excessive weight on the body puts a lot of pressure on the knees and hips. People with a lot of weight on their body are more likely to dwell in the unwanted world of arthritis.

Arthritis in Women

As they say that being a woman is tough – they say it right because arthritis is one of the most common problems that women start to face from a “not-too-old” age. If we compare the statistics, one in four women suffers from arthritis which is quite lower than the one in five figures in men.

Not only this but the pain is quite bad and women are more vulnerable to rheumatoid arthritis which is one of the most severe and unwanted conditions of arthritis.

Common Types of Arthritis Affecting Women

Two of the most common types of arthritis that affects women are:

  • Osteoarthritis
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis

Osteoarthritis: All the Whys?

arthritis 1

·         Development in Females

Women face arthritis later than men–but it hurts worse if they do. Most males will develop arthritis until they hit 55, but women will then rapidly catch up and surpass them. And women with arthritis show more discomfort than men reliably.

·         Affected Joints

In women, arthritis tends to affect different joints than in males. Through their hip, joint men have more arthritis, and in ladies, their hands and in their knees are more affected. Why is that? For one position, female tendons shift more because they are more resilient and also more vulnerable to injuries to accommodate childbirth. Women’s larger buttocks also have a more sensitive impact on the positioning of joints to some accidents.

·         Hormones Play Their Part

Hormones also play a part. Estrogen helps to control inflammation and therefore less arthritis is common for younger women than for men–however, arthritis also happens as rates decrease during the menopause. Scientists are now starting to figure out nuanced studies on how hormones form the likelihood of arthritis, with obvious connections between puberty level, childbearing and hormone replacement therapy.

·         Weight Problems

In women, obesity is more common than males. Excess weight places knee joints under strain, erodes cartilage and thereby increases the risk of arthritis. One pound of body weight, for example, corresponds to three more pounds of pressure per knee joint.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Story of a Very Weak Immune System

Rheumatoid_arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), in that inflammation is an auto-immune reaction that is not related to the wear and tear on joints, is different from osteoarthritis. Three times more women receive RA than males. Furthermore, when women get RA they tend to be younger, and their suffering is worse as with arthritis.

Experts think that the gender difference in RA has two main reasons.

·         Weaker Immune System

First, autoimmune diseases in a much greater number of women than men are known to be higher and more aggressive in women’s immune systems.

·         Hormones

Second, hormones seem to affect the likelihood of RA and flares. Most RA women with fewer signs or no symptoms during pregnancy often reappear after the baby has been raised. And breastfeeding reduces the risk of RA; a woman who breastfed 2 years has reduced the risk that her illness will be reduced by half.

Treatment for Arthritis

As advised by pain doctors in College Park, when you start noticing something is off with your system, visit the doctor straight away. Your doctor will conduct a physical examination to check the joints for redness, inflammation, and swelling. They will also conduct a physical evaluation to assess the range of motion.

Based on your current health condition, your doctor might ask you to cooperate on the following tests:

·         General Lab Tests

The examination of various types of body fluids will help identify arthritis. Blood, urine and joint fluid are generally examined. Your specialist must disinfect the region before putting a needle in your articulation space and extract the fluid and get a comparison of your joint.

·         Imaging Tests

Several types of imaging tests are to be conducted just to make sure that the problem is diagnosed correctly. Some of them include:

  • X-Ray
  • CT-Scan
  • MRI
  • Ultrasound

Conclusion

Arthritis is a health condition that appears to be more common among women than men. Many women suffer from arthritis way worse than men because of hormones, obesity and other factors. However, with the right treatment, it can be cured and taken care of.

Image source: lawrenceville doctors, newsmedical.net, hospitalpharmacyeurope.com

 

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