There are over 100 different types of arthritic diseases. The most common arthritis treated at Shreeji Orthopaedic and ENT hospital, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India is osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease in which the cartilage protecting the bone ends wears away. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the joint lining.

A diagnosis of arthritis is made after an evaluation of symptoms, a physical examination and one or more diagnostic imaging tests. Unfortunately, most types of arthritis are currently incurable – but today’s treatment options can be very effective. Treatment typically involves a combination of anti-inflammatory medication and devices to relieve stress on the joint (canes, crutches, or splints). Regular exercise, weight loss for overweight patients, and cortisone injections may also be helpful. In severe cases, orthopedic surgery such as joint replacement may be the only way to improve or restore function and relieve pain.

The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. If left undiagnosed and untreated, many types of arthritis can cause irreversible damage to the joints, bones, organs, and skin.

Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease, results from wear and tear. The pressure of gravity causes physical damage to the joints and surrounding tissues, leading to:

• Pain
• Tenderness
• Swelling
• Decreased function

Initially, osteoarthritis is non-inflammatory and its onset is subtle and gradual, usually involving one or only a few joints. The joints most often affected are the:

• Knees
• Hips
• Hands
• Spine

Risks of osteoarthritis increase with age. Other risk factors include joint trauma, obesity, and repetitive joint use.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the body’s own immune system mistakenly attacks the synovium (cell lining inside the joint). Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, potentially disabling disease which causes:

• Joint pain
• Stiffness
• Swelling
• Loss of joint function

While the cause remains elusive, doctors suspect that genetic factors are important. Rheumatoid arthritis can be difficult to diagnose early because it can begin gradually with subtle symptoms.

While the cause remains elusive, doctors suspect that genetic factors are important. Rheumatoid arthritis can be difficult to diagnose early because it can begin gradually with subtle symptoms.

Juvenile arthritis is a general term for all types of arthritis that occur in children. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is the most prevalent type of arthritis in children. There are three major types:

• polyarticular (affecting many joints
• polyarticular (affecting many joints)
• systemic (affecting the entire body)

Signs and symptoms of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis vary from child to child. No single test can conclusively establish a diagnosis. Juvenile arthritis must be present consistently for six or more consecutive weeks before a correct diagnosis can be made.

Psoriatic arthritis is similar to rheumatoid arthritis. About 5 percent of people with psoriasis, a chronic skin disease, also develop psoriatic arthritis. In psoriatic arthritis, there is inflammation of the joints and sometimes the spine.

Fibromyalgia syndrome is a painful condition characterized by:

• Muscle pain
• Chronic fatigue
• Poor sleep

The name fibromyalgia means pain in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Fibromyalgia is a type of soft tissue or muscular rheumatism and does not cause joint deformities.

Gout is a painful type of arthritis that causes sudden, severe attacks of pain, tenderness, redness, warmth, and swelling in the joints, especially the big toe. The pain and swelling associated with gout are caused by uric acid crystals that precipitate out of the blood and are deposited in the joint.

Pseudogout, which is also known as Calcium Pyrophosphate Dihydrate Deposition Disease (CPPD), is caused by deposits of calcium phosphate crystals (not uric acid) in the joints. CPPD is often mistaken as gouty arthritis. Since CPPD is a different disease than gout, treatment is not the same as gout.

Scleroderma is a disease of the body’s connective tissue that causes thickening and hardening of the skin. It can also affect the:

• Joints
• Blood vessels
• Internal organs

There are two types of scleroderma: localized and generalized.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease that can involve the:

• Skin
• Kidneys
• Blood vessels
• Joints
• Nervous system
• Heart
• Other internal organs

Symptoms vary, but may include a skin rash, arthritis, fever, anemia, fatigue, hair loss, mouth ulcers, and kidney problems. Symptoms usually first appear in women of childbearing age, but, can occur in children or older people. About 90 percent of those affected are women.

Risks related to Arthroscopic knee surgery include:

• Postoperative bleeding
• Deep Vein Thrombosis
• Infection
• Stiffness
• Numbness to part of the skin near the incisions
• Injury to vessels, nerves and a chronic pain syndrome
• Progression of the disease process

The risks and complications of arthroscopic knee surgery are extremely small. One must however bear in mind that occasionally there is more damage in the knee than was initially thought and that this may affect the recovery time. In addition, if the cartilage in the knee is partly worn out then arthroscopic surgery has about a 65% chance of improving symptoms in the short to medium term but more definitive surgery may be required in the future. In general arthroscopic surgery does not improve knees that have well-established Osteoarthritis.

Following your surgery, you will be given an instruction sheet showing exercises that are helpful in speeding up your recovery. Strengthening your thigh muscles (Quadriceps and Hamstrings) is most important. Swimming and cycling (stationary or road) are excellent ways to build these muscles up and improve movement.