Arthritis

Arthritis is a very common, but often misunderstood condition. In truth, “arthritis” is merely a term to describe inflammation or degeneration of joints, and there are hundreds of different types of arthritis, affecting millions of Americans each year. One of the leading causes of disability for people of all sexes and ages around the world and here in Ogden is Arthritis.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of this disease include:

• Pain or swelling around the joint
• Tenderness or irritation
• Redness or warmth
• Stiffness and loss of range of motion
• Inability to perform daily tasks
• Chronic or intermittent discomfort

Depending on the type of arthritis you have, you may encounter only mild, occasional symptoms, or you may suffer daily pain and disability. For example, if you have thumb arthritis, which is sometimes called basal joint arthritis, you may have pain when attempting to grip or pinch objects, along with swelling and tenderness along the bottom part of the thumb.

Since there are so many different types of arthritis and causes of this disease, it’s important to get the opinion of a qualified arthritis doctor, or hand doctor in Utah. If you are having trouble gripping, typing, or doing other activities with your hands, don’t wait: arthritis often becomes worse over time. A qualified Ogden arthritis treatment physician like Dr. Richards should be able to tell you which joints are affected, and what is causing your discomfort.

Causes

Arthritis can be caused by many different factors, and can be categorized by what is occurring in the body, under the surface. Types of arthritis include:

• Osteoarthritis- this happens when the joint cartilage rubs away, exposing the bone
• Inflammatory arthritis- this occurs when your immune system goes into overdrive, attacking the body’s joint cartilage
• Infectious arthritis- this happens when bacteria, fungus, or a virus enters the joint area
• Metabolic arthritis- this arises when the body is unable to flush out uric acid (a common metabolic byproduct) fast enough, and it accumulates in the joints

Are you struggling from joint pain, stiffness, swelling, or loss of function? Call our office today to make an appointment with seasoned Ogden arthritis treatment specialist Dr. Richards - we have experience with basal joint arthritis and other forms of this disease that affect the hand and wrist.