Arthritis: Do I have it?
Part 1
A clinical overview of Arthritis: Arthritis is important and prevalent. Pain is a major symptom of arthritis and this pain has a substantial impact on the quality of life. The risk factors for arthritis, CV disease, and GI disease often occur together. Pain and immobility, are risk factors for some outcomes
Arthritis is a Leading cause of disability.
Back or spine; Heart trouble, hardening of the arteries; Lung or respiratory; Limb/extremity stiffness; Mental or emotional; Diabetes; Blindness or vision and Stroke.
Definition of pain
“Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage”
Types of pain
1. Nociceptive Pain – Pain due to tissue damage
-Somatic pain – Pain due to damage to skin, muscle, joints and bones e.g. osteoarthritis (OA). Usually well localized
-Visceral pain – Pain resulting from internal organs e.g. appendicitis, kidney stones, myocardial infarction
-Poorly localized deep ache
2. Neuropathic pain – Pain due to damage of nerve tissue. Multiple sclerosis, prolapsed disc, neuropathy, amputation , Burning sensation
Classification of pain – acute and chronic
1. Acute
-Sudden onset; Self-limiting; Generally responds to drug treatment or management of the >underlying cause
2. Chronic
-Onset not well defined; Persistent or recurring; Triggered by injury or disease but persists even with treatment
Types of acute and chronic pain
1. Acute
-Headache/migraine; Postoperative pain; Dysmenorrhoea; Pain following dental surgery
2. Chronic
-Osteoarthritis (OA); Rheumatoid arthritis (RA); Ankylosing spondylitis (AS); Lower back pain; Cancer pain