Signs of Arthritis to watch out for in your 30’s
Does pain, and swelling in your joints make your life more complicated? Do you observe inflammation in your joints that recur often and impact your quality of life adversely? Well! All these symptoms tend to show that you may surely be affected by arthritis.
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis is an inflammatory progressive disease characterized by swelling and tenderness of one or more of your joints. This progressive disorder worsens with age and may lead to erosive joint damage and functional impairment in the patients. There are around 100 different types of Arthritis, among which osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are the most common.
Caption: Person holding his knees due to pain Credits: Pixabay
What are the possible causes of Arthritis?
The chronic inflammatory disorder is a precursor to various factors which may involve allergy due to certain foods that trigger the inflammatory responses, stress, altered or increased permeability of gut, Impairment of immune system, increased oxidative stress and damage to tissues.
Arthritis in Young People
One may think Arthritis to be an old age disorder which probably affects an elderly person with joint pain. But that’s not true; Arthritis pain and its symptoms can affect people even at a young age, as in their 30’s. In fact, it can even develop in children, teens, and younger adults. The symptoms of arthritis usually develop over time, but they may also appear suddenly. Arthritis is more commonly found to affect women and people who are overweight.
How do you know if you have symptoms of Arthritis? Symptoms of Arthritis can only be diagnosed by your health care professional. However, there are certain symptoms that you can assess on your own. So, watch out for these four important signs:
1. Pain
Pain from arthritis may occur while resting or moving. It may remain for longer periods of time and may come and go. It has been reported that inflammatory mediators released from the synovium, bone or other tissues induce sensitization of articular pain receptors resulting in the feeling of pain. Enhanced pain perception at the site of injury, leads to the development of pain while walking or standing, and of tenderness in normal tissues.
Caption: Knee joint showing inflammation Credits: Shutterstock
2. Swelling
Arthritis is characterized by inflammation of joints for prolonged durations. The chemicals released at the site of injury or joint promote the increase of inflammatory substances within the joint. This results in swelling of the cushions at the end of the bones and synovium swelling. The skin over the affected area of the joint becomes red, stiff and swollen. It may feel warm to the touch. Prolonged inflammation at the site may sometimes lead to a loss of joint function. Swelling that lasts for three days or longer may require immediate medical attention.
Caption: Multiple joint areas, showing inflammation Credits: pixabay
3. Stiffness
Suffering from morning stiffness which lasts longer than an hour is a good reason to suspect arthritis. Stiffness of the joints is a classic symptom of arthritis which happens when your cartilage that protects your bones from friction begins to dry out and stiffen. Also, due to the decreased production of synovial fluid the joints may become stiff as there is not enough synovial fluid to keep your joints moving smoothly. So when you experience stiffness in your joints in the morning, or after sitting at a desk or riding in a car for a long time then consider a very high likelihood of arthritis.
Caption: Arthritis can cause morning stiffness
4. Difficulty Moving a Joint
Caption: Picture of a girl having a hard time moving her elbow joint
If you are experiencing difficulty in moving your joint, pain while standing up, or while sitting.
Some other symptoms of arthritis include Fatigue, weakness, rash, fever.
What To Do
A person who is experiencing pain, stiffness and swelling more often and for prolonged periods of time should visit their doctor immediately. Your doctor will help pin down the type and extent of arthritis you are suffering from. Getting an accurate diagnosis is an important step in getting timely medical care for your condition.
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