Chronic Joint Pain
This literature review will be looking at an assortment of scholarly articles available online in order to investigate the effects of different kinds of chronic joint pain, their causes and different methods of treatment with varying levels of effectiveness and acceptance by the medical community.
Chronic joint pain is primarily caused by arthritis, the common name for over 200 diseases and conditions that cause swelling and inflammation of joints and surrounding tissues. The most common forms of arthritis, and the three that will be discussed in this review, are osteoarthritis, gout and rheumatoid arthritis. (Nichols, H, 2017)
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, known to affect over a third of American citizens over the age of 65. It is a degenerative condition that occurs in heavily used joints such as the knee and hip, generally later in life.Women …show more content…
are especially prone as they are often at risk of suffering osteoporosis after menopause. It occurs as the cartilage of the joint is worn down and the bone is exposed, which is accompanied by minor inflammation of synovial tissues. The defining symptoms of osteoarthritis are chronic pain and stifness in the joints affected, especially if the joint goes unused for a period of time. (Nordqvist, C, 2016:1)
Osteoarthritis cannot be cured, but the symptoms can be managed with the use of pain medication such as paracetamol and anti-inflammatories of many types. (Although non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the most common). stretching techniques, electrical stimulation and temperature control are also capable of reducing stiffness and pain. Any of these treatments are available from a phsyical therapist. In the worst cases, one may undergo arthroplasty and replace the joint with a metal or plastic prosthesis. This restores the joint to full functionality, but the replacement may wear down over time as well. (Nordqvist, C, 2016:3)
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic and progressive autoimmune disease which causes swelling and pain in the joints and surrounding tissue. It occurs when the immune system targets the lining of joints, and can occur at any age, although it is much more common among women and those over 40. The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (UK) estimates that 0.8% of the UK poulation is affected by this disease. Rheumatoid arthritis shares symptoms with osteoarthritis, but is often paired with other autoimmune diseases that can cause fever and inflammation in other tissues and organs, especially the lungs. (Nordqvist, C, 2016:1,2)
Rheumatoid arthritis also has no cure, but prompt treatment of symptoms can slow down the progression of the disease. Pain medication and anti-inflammatory medication works as well as it does for osteoarthritis, and immunosuppressants such as cyclosporine are useful for minimising further damage to the joint. Immunosuppressants will put the user at higher risk of infection by most diseases and may cause blood disorders, and as such are not recommended for early-stage rheumatiod arthritis. Though few studies have been carried out on thier effects, many rheumatiod arthritis sufferers belive that treatments such as acupuncture, electrotherapy and hydrotherapy are effective at reducing symptoms and inproving quality of life. A patient may opt for arthroplasy in the same way they would for osteoarthritis.(Nordqvist, C, 2016:2)
Gout is a form of arthritis caused by the formation of needle sharp crystals in the joint tissues due to an excess of uric acid in the blood.
Unlike most other kinds of arthritis it is more common in men, as they have a higher concentration of uric acid in their blood compared to pre-menopause women. After menopause, uric acid level are roughly equal. Hyperuricemia is caused by purine rich diets, alcohol consumption and/or chronic lead exposure. It has been noted that there are genetic factors to gout, people with a family history of gout are often more prone to it themselves. Gout is characterised by sudden and intense pain, swelling and redness in a joint, usually a smaller one such as the large joint of the big toe or the ankle. This subsides over 3-10 days. If one does not recieve treatment in about ten years, the gout may cause permanent damage to the joint and become chronic. This is referred to as tophaceous gout. Pseudogout is a similar disease with the same symptoms, but it is caused by calcium phosphate crystals rather than urate crystals and needs different treatment. (McIntosh, J,
2015:1,2)
Gout flares can be treated with the same sort of medication one uses for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and xanthine oxidase inhibitors like allopurinol can be used to reduce production of uric acid. Avoiding alcohol and high purine foods, (anchovies, asparagus, beef kidneys, brains, dried beans and peas, game meats, gravy, herring, and liver) as well as maintaing a high fluid intake reduces the chance of future flare-ups and makes it less likely to suffer from gout in the first place. Gout is easily controlled and avoided with a good diet and is much less serious than the other two types discussed. (McIntosh, J, 2015:2)
Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout are all diseases that affect the joints, causing pain, stiffness and inflammation. Gout is caused by a buildup of uric acid in the bloodstream, osteoarthritis by damage to the hyaline cartilage from wear and tear, and rheumatoid arthritis by an autoimmune response. Gout is easily treated and rarely progresses to the stage where it can do permanent damage. A good diet and medication can easily cure it. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis cannot be cured, but can be treated with anti-inflammatory and pain medication, (and immune suppressants in the case of rheumatoid arthritis.) as well as physical therapy in the form of regular stretching exercises. In cases where arthritis has compromised joint functionality beyond the point of treatment through medication, arthroplasty allows a patient to have a joint surgically replaced by a prosthesis.
Chronic joint pain is primarily caused by arthritis, the common name for over 200 diseases and conditions that cause swelling and inflammation of joints and surrounding tissues. The most common forms of arthritis, and the three that will be discussed in this review, are osteoarthritis, gout and rheumatoid arthritis. (Nichols, H, 2017)
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, known to affect over a third of American citizens over the age of 65. It is a degenerative condition that occurs in heavily used joints such as the knee and hip, generally later in life.Women …show more content…
are especially prone as they are often at risk of suffering osteoporosis after menopause. It occurs as the cartilage of the joint is worn down and the bone is exposed, which is accompanied by minor inflammation of synovial tissues. The defining symptoms of osteoarthritis are chronic pain and stifness in the joints affected, especially if the joint goes unused for a period of time. (Nordqvist, C, 2016:1)
Osteoarthritis cannot be cured, but the symptoms can be managed with the use of pain medication such as paracetamol and anti-inflammatories of many types. (Although non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the most common). stretching techniques, electrical stimulation and temperature control are also capable of reducing stiffness and pain. Any of these treatments are available from a phsyical therapist. In the worst cases, one may undergo arthroplasty and replace the joint with a metal or plastic prosthesis. This restores the joint to full functionality, but the replacement may wear down over time as well. (Nordqvist, C, 2016:3)
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic and progressive autoimmune disease which causes swelling and pain in the joints and surrounding tissue. It occurs when the immune system targets the lining of joints, and can occur at any age, although it is much more common among women and those over 40. The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (UK) estimates that 0.8% of the UK poulation is affected by this disease. Rheumatoid arthritis shares symptoms with osteoarthritis, but is often paired with other autoimmune diseases that can cause fever and inflammation in other tissues and organs, especially the lungs. (Nordqvist, C, 2016:1,2)
Rheumatoid arthritis also has no cure, but prompt treatment of symptoms can slow down the progression of the disease. Pain medication and anti-inflammatory medication works as well as it does for osteoarthritis, and immunosuppressants such as cyclosporine are useful for minimising further damage to the joint. Immunosuppressants will put the user at higher risk of infection by most diseases and may cause blood disorders, and as such are not recommended for early-stage rheumatiod arthritis. Though few studies have been carried out on thier effects, many rheumatiod arthritis sufferers belive that treatments such as acupuncture, electrotherapy and hydrotherapy are effective at reducing symptoms and inproving quality of life. A patient may opt for arthroplasy in the same way they would for osteoarthritis.(Nordqvist, C, 2016:2)
Gout is a form of arthritis caused by the formation of needle sharp crystals in the joint tissues due to an excess of uric acid in the blood.
Unlike most other kinds of arthritis it is more common in men, as they have a higher concentration of uric acid in their blood compared to pre-menopause women. After menopause, uric acid level are roughly equal. Hyperuricemia is caused by purine rich diets, alcohol consumption and/or chronic lead exposure. It has been noted that there are genetic factors to gout, people with a family history of gout are often more prone to it themselves. Gout is characterised by sudden and intense pain, swelling and redness in a joint, usually a smaller one such as the large joint of the big toe or the ankle. This subsides over 3-10 days. If one does not recieve treatment in about ten years, the gout may cause permanent damage to the joint and become chronic. This is referred to as tophaceous gout. Pseudogout is a similar disease with the same symptoms, but it is caused by calcium phosphate crystals rather than urate crystals and needs different treatment. (McIntosh, J,
2015:1,2)
Gout flares can be treated with the same sort of medication one uses for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and xanthine oxidase inhibitors like allopurinol can be used to reduce production of uric acid. Avoiding alcohol and high purine foods, (anchovies, asparagus, beef kidneys, brains, dried beans and peas, game meats, gravy, herring, and liver) as well as maintaing a high fluid intake reduces the chance of future flare-ups and makes it less likely to suffer from gout in the first place. Gout is easily controlled and avoided with a good diet and is much less serious than the other two types discussed. (McIntosh, J, 2015:2)
Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout are all diseases that affect the joints, causing pain, stiffness and inflammation. Gout is caused by a buildup of uric acid in the bloodstream, osteoarthritis by damage to the hyaline cartilage from wear and tear, and rheumatoid arthritis by an autoimmune response. Gout is easily treated and rarely progresses to the stage where it can do permanent damage. A good diet and medication can easily cure it. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis cannot be cured, but can be treated with anti-inflammatory and pain medication, (and immune suppressants in the case of rheumatoid arthritis.) as well as physical therapy in the form of regular stretching exercises. In cases where arthritis has compromised joint functionality beyond the point of treatment through medication, arthroplasty allows a patient to have a joint surgically replaced by a prosthesis.