Depression
Causes
Depression often runs in families. This may due to your genes (inherited), learned behavior, or both. Even if your genes make you more likely to develop depression, a stressful or unhappy life event usually triggers the onset of a depressive episode.
Depression may be brought on by:
• Alcohol or drug abuse
• Childhood events like abuse or neglect
• Chronic stress
• Death of a friend or relative
• Disappointment at home, work, or school (in teens, this may be breaking up
with a boyfriend or girlfriend, failing a class, or parents divorcing)
• Drugs such as sedatives and high blood pressure medications
• Medical conditions such as hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), cancer, or
hepatitis
• Nutritional deficiencies (such as a lack of folate and omega-3 fatty acids)
• Overly negative thoughts about one's self and life, self blame, and
ineffective social problem solving skills
• Prolonged pain or having a major illness
• Sleeping problems
• Social isolation (common in the elderly)
Prevention
Healthy lifestyle habits can help prevent depression, or lessen the chances of it happening again.
These habits include eating properly, sleeping adequately, exercising regularly, learning to relax, and not drinking alcohol or using drugs.
Counseling may help you through times of grief, stress, or low mood. Family therapy may be particularly important for teens who feel blue.
If you feel socially isolated or lonely, try volunteering or getting involved in group activities.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Asthama and Causes
Asthama
Causes
Asthma is caused by inflammation in the airways. When an asthma attack occurs, the muscles surrounding the airways become tight and the lining of the air passages swell. This reduces the amount of air that can pass by, and can lead to wheezing sounds.
Most people with asthma have wheezing attacks separated by symptom-free periods. Some patients have long-term shortness of breath with episodes of increased shortness of breath. Still, in others, a cough may be the main symptom. Asthma attacks can last minutes to days and can become dangerous if the airflow becomes severely restricted.
In sensitive individuals, asthma symptoms can be triggered by breathing in allergy-causing substances (called allergens or triggers). Triggers include pet dander, dust mites, cockroach allergens, molds, or pollens. Asthma symptoms can also be triggered by respiratory infections, exercise, cold air, tobacco smoke and other pollutants, stress, food, or drug allergies. Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS) provoke asthma in some patients.
Approximately 20.5 million Americans currently have asthma. Many people with asthma have an individual or family history of allergies, such as hay fever (allergic rhinitis) or eczema. Others have no history of allergies.
Prevention
Asthma symptoms can be substantially reduced by avoiding known allergens and respiratory irritants. If someone with asthma is sensitive to dust mites, exposure can be reduced by encasing mattresses and pillows in allergen-impermeable covers, removing carpets from bedrooms, and by vacuuming regularly. Exposure to dust mites and mold can be reduced by lowering indoor humidity.
If a person is allergic to an animal that cannot be removed from the home, the animal should be kept out of the patient's bedroom. Filtering material can be placed over the heating outlets to trap animal dander. Exposure to cigarette smoke, air pollution, industrial dusts, and irritating fumes should also be avoided.
Allergy desensitization may be helpful in reducing asthma symptoms and medication use, but the size of the benefit compared with other treatments is not known.
Causes
Asthma is caused by inflammation in the airways. When an asthma attack occurs, the muscles surrounding the airways become tight and the lining of the air passages swell. This reduces the amount of air that can pass by, and can lead to wheezing sounds.
Most people with asthma have wheezing attacks separated by symptom-free periods. Some patients have long-term shortness of breath with episodes of increased shortness of breath. Still, in others, a cough may be the main symptom. Asthma attacks can last minutes to days and can become dangerous if the airflow becomes severely restricted.
In sensitive individuals, asthma symptoms can be triggered by breathing in allergy-causing substances (called allergens or triggers). Triggers include pet dander, dust mites, cockroach allergens, molds, or pollens. Asthma symptoms can also be triggered by respiratory infections, exercise, cold air, tobacco smoke and other pollutants, stress, food, or drug allergies. Aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS) provoke asthma in some patients.
Approximately 20.5 million Americans currently have asthma. Many people with asthma have an individual or family history of allergies, such as hay fever (allergic rhinitis) or eczema. Others have no history of allergies.
Prevention
Asthma symptoms can be substantially reduced by avoiding known allergens and respiratory irritants. If someone with asthma is sensitive to dust mites, exposure can be reduced by encasing mattresses and pillows in allergen-impermeable covers, removing carpets from bedrooms, and by vacuuming regularly. Exposure to dust mites and mold can be reduced by lowering indoor humidity.
If a person is allergic to an animal that cannot be removed from the home, the animal should be kept out of the patient's bedroom. Filtering material can be placed over the heating outlets to trap animal dander. Exposure to cigarette smoke, air pollution, industrial dusts, and irritating fumes should also be avoided.
Allergy desensitization may be helpful in reducing asthma symptoms and medication use, but the size of the benefit compared with other treatments is not known.
Heart Diseases and Causes
Heart diseases
A heart attack is when low blood flow causes the heart to starve for oxygen. Heart muscle dies or becomes permanently damaged. Your doctor calls this a myocardial infarction.
Causes
Most heart attacks are caused by a blood clot that blocks one of the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries bring blood and oxygen to the heart. If the blood flow is blocked, the heart starves for oxygen and heart cells die.
A clot most often forms in a coronary artery that has become narrow because of the build-up of a substance called plaque along the artery walls. Sometimes, the plaque cracks and triggers a blood clot to form.
Occasionally, sudden overwhelming stress can trigger a heart attack.
It is difficult to estimate exactly how common heart attacks are because as many as 200,000 to 300,000 people in the United States die each year before medical help is sought. It is estimated that approximately 1 million patients visit the hospital each year with a heart attack. About 1 out of every 5 deaths are due to a heart attack.
Risk factors for heart attack and coronary artery disease include:
• Bad genes (hereditary factors)
• Being male
• Diabetes
• Getting older
• High blood pressure
• Smoking
• Too much fat in your diet
• Unhealthy cholesterol levels, especially high LDL ("bad") cholesterol and low HDL ("good") cholesterol
Higher-than-normal levels of homocysteine, C-reactive protein, and fibrinogen may also increase your risk for a heart attack. Homocysteine is an amino acid.
C-reactive protein and fibrinogen are linked to inflammation. Fibrinogen is also involved in blood clotting.
Prevention
To prevent a heart attack:
• Keep your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol under control.
• Don't smoke.
• Consider drinking 1 to 2 glasses of alcohol or wine each day. Moderate amounts of alcohol may reduce your risk of cardiovascular problems. However, drinking larger amounts does more harm than good.
• Eat a low fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in animal fat.
• Eat fish twice a week. Baked or grilled fish is better than fried fish. Frying can destroy some of the benefits.
• Exercise daily or several times a week. Walking is a good form of exercise. Talk to your doctor before starting an exercise routine.
• Lose weight if you are overweight.
If you have one or more risk factors for heart disease, talk to your doctor about possibly taking aspirin to help prevent a heart attack. Aspirin therapy (dose 75 mg to 325 mg a day) or a drug called clopidogrel may be prescribed for women at high risk for heart disease. Aspirin therapy is recommended for women over age 65 to prevent heart attack and stroke as long as blood pressure is controlled and the benefit is likely to outweigh the risk of gastrointestinal side effects. Regular use of aspirin is not recommended for healthy women under age 65 to prevent heart attacks.
New guidelines no longer recommend hormone replacement therapy, vitamins E or C, antioxidants, or folic acid to prevent heart disease.
After a heart attack, you will need regular follow-up care to reduce the risk of having a second heart attack. Often, a cardiac rehabilitation program is recommended to help you gradually return to a normal lifestyle. Always follow the exercise, diet, and medication plan prescribed by your doctor.
A heart attack is when low blood flow causes the heart to starve for oxygen. Heart muscle dies or becomes permanently damaged. Your doctor calls this a myocardial infarction.
Causes
Most heart attacks are caused by a blood clot that blocks one of the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries bring blood and oxygen to the heart. If the blood flow is blocked, the heart starves for oxygen and heart cells die.
A clot most often forms in a coronary artery that has become narrow because of the build-up of a substance called plaque along the artery walls. Sometimes, the plaque cracks and triggers a blood clot to form.
Occasionally, sudden overwhelming stress can trigger a heart attack.
It is difficult to estimate exactly how common heart attacks are because as many as 200,000 to 300,000 people in the United States die each year before medical help is sought. It is estimated that approximately 1 million patients visit the hospital each year with a heart attack. About 1 out of every 5 deaths are due to a heart attack.
Risk factors for heart attack and coronary artery disease include:
• Bad genes (hereditary factors)
• Being male
• Diabetes
• Getting older
• High blood pressure
• Smoking
• Too much fat in your diet
• Unhealthy cholesterol levels, especially high LDL ("bad") cholesterol and low HDL ("good") cholesterol
Higher-than-normal levels of homocysteine, C-reactive protein, and fibrinogen may also increase your risk for a heart attack. Homocysteine is an amino acid.
C-reactive protein and fibrinogen are linked to inflammation. Fibrinogen is also involved in blood clotting.
Prevention
To prevent a heart attack:
• Keep your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol under control.
• Don't smoke.
• Consider drinking 1 to 2 glasses of alcohol or wine each day. Moderate amounts of alcohol may reduce your risk of cardiovascular problems. However, drinking larger amounts does more harm than good.
• Eat a low fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in animal fat.
• Eat fish twice a week. Baked or grilled fish is better than fried fish. Frying can destroy some of the benefits.
• Exercise daily or several times a week. Walking is a good form of exercise. Talk to your doctor before starting an exercise routine.
• Lose weight if you are overweight.
If you have one or more risk factors for heart disease, talk to your doctor about possibly taking aspirin to help prevent a heart attack. Aspirin therapy (dose 75 mg to 325 mg a day) or a drug called clopidogrel may be prescribed for women at high risk for heart disease. Aspirin therapy is recommended for women over age 65 to prevent heart attack and stroke as long as blood pressure is controlled and the benefit is likely to outweigh the risk of gastrointestinal side effects. Regular use of aspirin is not recommended for healthy women under age 65 to prevent heart attacks.
New guidelines no longer recommend hormone replacement therapy, vitamins E or C, antioxidants, or folic acid to prevent heart disease.
After a heart attack, you will need regular follow-up care to reduce the risk of having a second heart attack. Often, a cardiac rehabilitation program is recommended to help you gradually return to a normal lifestyle. Always follow the exercise, diet, and medication plan prescribed by your doctor.
Hair loss and Causes
The "hair System" has these characteristics:
• a very thin nylon mesh base.
• can be attached with attachment tapes
• are virtually undetectable to the touch
• resists "wash through" of hairs to the underside of the hair system
• excellent breathability
Certain medications can cause hair loss. Talk with your doctor about your medicines and ask about the possibility of them causing your hair to fall out. You may be able to change to another medication that has less of a risk of causing hair loss.
Causes
There are a number of myths out there about hair loss. Here are a few of them:
- Wearing a hat will cause hair loss. While it may be true that a lot of bald men may wear a hat to cover their thinning hair, a hat in no way caused their hair to fall out. If wearing a hat caused baldness, everyone in the national baseball league would be bald!
- Hair loss in females means that you are not a proper woman with two X chromosomes. This is crazy because hair loss has nothing to do with chromosomes but has everything to do with hormones.
- Hair loss in women is a sign of an overactive brain. There is absolutely no scientific evidence to back this statement up.
Stress
Yes, stress can definitely cause a person to lose their hair! However, it is important to note that the type of stress we are referring to in this article is not the everyday stress experience that most of us go through. In terms of hair loss, the type of stress that causes this condition is the result of sudden emotional shock or a very disastrous physical accident.
This type of hair loss is known as “telogen effluvium”. When an extremely stressful incident occurs, what happens is that the hair follicles that are actively growing are suddenly shifted forward into the “regression phase”. Soon after, the follicles then begin the “resting phase” and when the growth cycle of a hair follicle reaches this resting place, it falls out rather easily.
How soon after a stressful event does person's hair begin to fall out?
When a person goes through a physiological or an emotional event, hair does not begin to fall out anywhere from a few weeks to a few months after the event. But once it has begun, hair loss continues at a fast pace.
And because it takes some time for their hair to start shedding after the stressful event, the person is usually not aware that it is related to that past experience. It never occurs to them that the hair loss they are experiencing is not because of a new “sickness” or anything of the sort, it is simply the aftermath side effect of the stress they went through a few weeks or a few months ago.
What are some examples of severe stressful situations that would cause hair loss?
As we stated earlier, “stress” in terms of hair loss does not mean the standard stress most people experience from work, financial, relationships, etc. Instead, occurrences such as going through the sudden death of a loved one would be an example of a stressful situation that could result in hair loss. Getting a divorce would be another example. Having to take care of someone close to you who has a terminal disease may also fall into this category.
And of course, physical experiences that cause a lot of damage to a person's body will also produce stress at such high levels that hair loss is an eventual side effect. For example, a heart attack or a major surgery may cause a person's hair to fall out. Sickness that keeps a person in a long period of deterioration, such as the flu or malaria, may cause hair loss. And also, accidents such as vehicle crashes or any other similar situation where the body undergoes sudden physical damage, may cause hair loss
Nutrition habits
Unfortunately, hair loss due to nutritional deficiencies is extremely rare. In fact, there is really only one possible cause of hair loss that may result from nutrition and it is anemia. When a person is anemic, they experience a reduction in red blood cells and become very low in iron.
Thyroid problems are a common cause of hair loss. An overactive thyroid or an under active thyroid gland can cause hair loss. Fortunately, hair loss can easily be reversed by proper treatment of the thyroid disease.
Diabetes is a big cause of hair loss in a lot of people. Diabetes is a hormone related disorder that will often lead to thinning hair or hair loss. The hair loss will normally begin at the onset of diabetes and gradually gets worse as the disease progresses. Therefore, if one has noticed an increased amount of hair loss, one should see their doctor. Get tested for diabetes. Early detection can decrease the damage done to your body.
Head Injuries & Physical Trauma to the Scalp
Permanent hair loss can be a direct result of a severe physical injury to a person's scalp. Although in some cases the hair might grow back, the majority of head trauma victims will have a total loss of hair for the rest of their life. Some possible head trauma examples would be chemical burns from acid or other highly flammable substances, severe cutting and damage from a blunt object, and over-exposure to cold temperatures such as freezing from liquid nitrogen or from frostbite.
At times, physical damage that causes hair loss may not come in the form of a severe injury as described above. For example, if a person wears a tight fitting helmet or other headgear that causes continuous pressure, this can lead to permanent hair loss.
Surgical operations that went wrong can cause permanent hair loss, such as cosmetic surgeries like scalp reduction or a face lift. They may even have suffered from an incorrect hair replacement surgery as well.
Hair Loss in Women Who Have Gave Birth
Some women experience a temporary loss of hair soon after giving birth. The term for this condition is called “telogen effluvium”. What happens here is that during the 2nd and 3rd trimester, the hair follicles that a woman has stays in the “growing phase” longer than it should have. So instead of the hair going through the normal regeneration cycle and shedding like it's supposed to, the hair follicles remain active and do not fall to the wayside which results in extremely thick hair.
Many women enjoy this temporary burst of luxurious hair growth. Unfortunately, this hair growth is not permanent. Within 12 weeks after giving birth, the woman's hair follicles will go back into their normal growth cycle. This means that all of this extra thick hair that should have been shedding for the last few months, as everyone's hair sheds normally, will now begin to fall out at a rapid pace, and usually does so all at once. This condition is temporary and is merely the result of a woman's body bouncing back to its original state as it was before becoming pregnant.
Prevention
First and most importantly eat a healthy balanced diet. Your hair needs nutrition to grow and be healthy. Try to eat a diet rich in vitamins and minerals. If this is not possible, take a good multi-vitamin everyday that can provide you with the required daily allowance of vitamins and minerals.
Get plenty of exercise and plenty of sleep. Exercise increases the blood flow to every part of your body, including your scalp. Increased blood flow can nourish the hair follicles and keep them strong and healthy. Your whole body, including your scalp and hair needs rest to rejuvenate, so try to get at least eight hours of restful sleep each night.
Avoid hair treatments that can damage your hair. Frequent dyeing, hot curling irons, blow dryers, perms and frequent brushing or combing can all do damage to your hair and result in hair loss. Be gentle on your hair, using a soft bristled brush and letting it air dry whenever possible. Avoid vigorous combing when your hair is wet. It is more prone to breakage at this time.
If you notice excessive hair loss, see your doctor right away. Hair loss can be a sign of an underlying disease that needs treatment. Autoimmune diseases such as lupus can cause hair loss. Also disorders of the endocrine system, such as diabetes may cause you to lose your hair. Any type of hormone imbalance can be a big factor in hair loss also. It is important to find the cause of your hair loss and get treatment to prevent further hair loss and damage to other body organs.
• a very thin nylon mesh base.
• can be attached with attachment tapes
• are virtually undetectable to the touch
• resists "wash through" of hairs to the underside of the hair system
• excellent breathability
Certain medications can cause hair loss. Talk with your doctor about your medicines and ask about the possibility of them causing your hair to fall out. You may be able to change to another medication that has less of a risk of causing hair loss.
Causes
There are a number of myths out there about hair loss. Here are a few of them:
- Wearing a hat will cause hair loss. While it may be true that a lot of bald men may wear a hat to cover their thinning hair, a hat in no way caused their hair to fall out. If wearing a hat caused baldness, everyone in the national baseball league would be bald!
- Hair loss in females means that you are not a proper woman with two X chromosomes. This is crazy because hair loss has nothing to do with chromosomes but has everything to do with hormones.
- Hair loss in women is a sign of an overactive brain. There is absolutely no scientific evidence to back this statement up.
Stress
Yes, stress can definitely cause a person to lose their hair! However, it is important to note that the type of stress we are referring to in this article is not the everyday stress experience that most of us go through. In terms of hair loss, the type of stress that causes this condition is the result of sudden emotional shock or a very disastrous physical accident.
This type of hair loss is known as “telogen effluvium”. When an extremely stressful incident occurs, what happens is that the hair follicles that are actively growing are suddenly shifted forward into the “regression phase”. Soon after, the follicles then begin the “resting phase” and when the growth cycle of a hair follicle reaches this resting place, it falls out rather easily.
How soon after a stressful event does person's hair begin to fall out?
When a person goes through a physiological or an emotional event, hair does not begin to fall out anywhere from a few weeks to a few months after the event. But once it has begun, hair loss continues at a fast pace.
And because it takes some time for their hair to start shedding after the stressful event, the person is usually not aware that it is related to that past experience. It never occurs to them that the hair loss they are experiencing is not because of a new “sickness” or anything of the sort, it is simply the aftermath side effect of the stress they went through a few weeks or a few months ago.
What are some examples of severe stressful situations that would cause hair loss?
As we stated earlier, “stress” in terms of hair loss does not mean the standard stress most people experience from work, financial, relationships, etc. Instead, occurrences such as going through the sudden death of a loved one would be an example of a stressful situation that could result in hair loss. Getting a divorce would be another example. Having to take care of someone close to you who has a terminal disease may also fall into this category.
And of course, physical experiences that cause a lot of damage to a person's body will also produce stress at such high levels that hair loss is an eventual side effect. For example, a heart attack or a major surgery may cause a person's hair to fall out. Sickness that keeps a person in a long period of deterioration, such as the flu or malaria, may cause hair loss. And also, accidents such as vehicle crashes or any other similar situation where the body undergoes sudden physical damage, may cause hair loss
Nutrition habits
Unfortunately, hair loss due to nutritional deficiencies is extremely rare. In fact, there is really only one possible cause of hair loss that may result from nutrition and it is anemia. When a person is anemic, they experience a reduction in red blood cells and become very low in iron.
Thyroid problems are a common cause of hair loss. An overactive thyroid or an under active thyroid gland can cause hair loss. Fortunately, hair loss can easily be reversed by proper treatment of the thyroid disease.
Diabetes is a big cause of hair loss in a lot of people. Diabetes is a hormone related disorder that will often lead to thinning hair or hair loss. The hair loss will normally begin at the onset of diabetes and gradually gets worse as the disease progresses. Therefore, if one has noticed an increased amount of hair loss, one should see their doctor. Get tested for diabetes. Early detection can decrease the damage done to your body.
Head Injuries & Physical Trauma to the Scalp
Permanent hair loss can be a direct result of a severe physical injury to a person's scalp. Although in some cases the hair might grow back, the majority of head trauma victims will have a total loss of hair for the rest of their life. Some possible head trauma examples would be chemical burns from acid or other highly flammable substances, severe cutting and damage from a blunt object, and over-exposure to cold temperatures such as freezing from liquid nitrogen or from frostbite.
At times, physical damage that causes hair loss may not come in the form of a severe injury as described above. For example, if a person wears a tight fitting helmet or other headgear that causes continuous pressure, this can lead to permanent hair loss.
Surgical operations that went wrong can cause permanent hair loss, such as cosmetic surgeries like scalp reduction or a face lift. They may even have suffered from an incorrect hair replacement surgery as well.
Hair Loss in Women Who Have Gave Birth
Some women experience a temporary loss of hair soon after giving birth. The term for this condition is called “telogen effluvium”. What happens here is that during the 2nd and 3rd trimester, the hair follicles that a woman has stays in the “growing phase” longer than it should have. So instead of the hair going through the normal regeneration cycle and shedding like it's supposed to, the hair follicles remain active and do not fall to the wayside which results in extremely thick hair.
Many women enjoy this temporary burst of luxurious hair growth. Unfortunately, this hair growth is not permanent. Within 12 weeks after giving birth, the woman's hair follicles will go back into their normal growth cycle. This means that all of this extra thick hair that should have been shedding for the last few months, as everyone's hair sheds normally, will now begin to fall out at a rapid pace, and usually does so all at once. This condition is temporary and is merely the result of a woman's body bouncing back to its original state as it was before becoming pregnant.
Prevention
First and most importantly eat a healthy balanced diet. Your hair needs nutrition to grow and be healthy. Try to eat a diet rich in vitamins and minerals. If this is not possible, take a good multi-vitamin everyday that can provide you with the required daily allowance of vitamins and minerals.
Get plenty of exercise and plenty of sleep. Exercise increases the blood flow to every part of your body, including your scalp. Increased blood flow can nourish the hair follicles and keep them strong and healthy. Your whole body, including your scalp and hair needs rest to rejuvenate, so try to get at least eight hours of restful sleep each night.
Avoid hair treatments that can damage your hair. Frequent dyeing, hot curling irons, blow dryers, perms and frequent brushing or combing can all do damage to your hair and result in hair loss. Be gentle on your hair, using a soft bristled brush and letting it air dry whenever possible. Avoid vigorous combing when your hair is wet. It is more prone to breakage at this time.
If you notice excessive hair loss, see your doctor right away. Hair loss can be a sign of an underlying disease that needs treatment. Autoimmune diseases such as lupus can cause hair loss. Also disorders of the endocrine system, such as diabetes may cause you to lose your hair. Any type of hormone imbalance can be a big factor in hair loss also. It is important to find the cause of your hair loss and get treatment to prevent further hair loss and damage to other body organs.
Arthritis and Causes
Arthritis is inflammation of one or more joints, which results in pain, swelling, stiffness, and limited movement. There are over 100 different types of arthritis.
Causes
Arthritis involves the breakdown of cartilage. Cartilage normally protects the joint, allowing for smooth movement. Cartilage also absorbs shock when pressure is placed on the joint, like when you walk. Without the usual amount of cartilage, the bones rub together, causing pain, swelling (inflammation), and stiffness.
You may have joint inflammation for a variety of reasons, including:
• Broken bone
• Infection (usually caused by bacteria or viruses)
• An autoimmune disease (the body attacks itself because the immune system
believes a body part is foreign)
• General "wear and tear" on joints
Often, the inflammation goes away after the injury has healed, the disease is treated, or the infection has been cleared.
With some injuries and diseases, the inflammation does not go away or destruction results in long-term pain and deformity. When this happens, you have chronic arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common type and is more likely to occur as you age. You may feel it in any of your joints, but most commonly in your hips, knees or fingers.
Risk factors for osteoarthritis include:
• Being overweight
• Previously injuring the affected joint
• Using the affected joint in a repetitive action that puts stress on the joint (baseball players, ballet dancers, and construction workers are all at risk)
Arthritis can occur in men and women of all ages. About 37 million people in America have arthritis of some kind, which is almost 1 out of every 7 people.
Other types or cause of arthritis include:
• Rheumatoid arthritis (in adults)
• Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (in children)
• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
• Gout
• Scleroderma
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Reiter's syndrome (reactive arthritis)
• Adult Still's disease
• Viral arthritis
• Gonococcal arthritis
• Other bacterial infections (non-gonococcal bacterial arthritis )
• Tertiary Lyme disease (the late stage)
• Tuberculous arthritis
• Fungal infections such as blastomycosis
Prevention
If arthritis is diagnosed and treated early, you can prevent joint damage. Find out if you have a family history of arthritis and share this information with your doctor, even if you have no joint symptoms.
Osteoarthritis may be more likely to develop if you abuse your joints (injure them many times or over-use them while injured). Take care not to overwork a damaged or sore joint. Similarly, avoid excessive repetitive motions.
Excess weight also increases the risk for developing osteoarthritis in the knees, and possibly in the hips and hands.
Causes
Arthritis involves the breakdown of cartilage. Cartilage normally protects the joint, allowing for smooth movement. Cartilage also absorbs shock when pressure is placed on the joint, like when you walk. Without the usual amount of cartilage, the bones rub together, causing pain, swelling (inflammation), and stiffness.
You may have joint inflammation for a variety of reasons, including:
• Broken bone
• Infection (usually caused by bacteria or viruses)
• An autoimmune disease (the body attacks itself because the immune system
believes a body part is foreign)
• General "wear and tear" on joints
Often, the inflammation goes away after the injury has healed, the disease is treated, or the infection has been cleared.
With some injuries and diseases, the inflammation does not go away or destruction results in long-term pain and deformity. When this happens, you have chronic arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common type and is more likely to occur as you age. You may feel it in any of your joints, but most commonly in your hips, knees or fingers.
Risk factors for osteoarthritis include:
• Being overweight
• Previously injuring the affected joint
• Using the affected joint in a repetitive action that puts stress on the joint (baseball players, ballet dancers, and construction workers are all at risk)
Arthritis can occur in men and women of all ages. About 37 million people in America have arthritis of some kind, which is almost 1 out of every 7 people.
Other types or cause of arthritis include:
• Rheumatoid arthritis (in adults)
• Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (in children)
• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
• Gout
• Scleroderma
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Reiter's syndrome (reactive arthritis)
• Adult Still's disease
• Viral arthritis
• Gonococcal arthritis
• Other bacterial infections (non-gonococcal bacterial arthritis )
• Tertiary Lyme disease (the late stage)
• Tuberculous arthritis
• Fungal infections such as blastomycosis
Prevention
If arthritis is diagnosed and treated early, you can prevent joint damage. Find out if you have a family history of arthritis and share this information with your doctor, even if you have no joint symptoms.
Osteoarthritis may be more likely to develop if you abuse your joints (injure them many times or over-use them while injured). Take care not to overwork a damaged or sore joint. Similarly, avoid excessive repetitive motions.
Excess weight also increases the risk for developing osteoarthritis in the knees, and possibly in the hips and hands.
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