Research Paper on Arthritis: OA & RA - Causes, Symptoms, & Treatment

Introduction

Arthritis is a kind of disorder which results when there is an occurrence of inflammation in the joints of an individual. The majorly known symptoms of arthritis are a pain in the joins or stiffness. It has two primary types; Osteoarthritis Arthritis (OA) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The two types are similar in a manner that they are both caused by inflammation of bones and stiffness, however, in rare cases do inflammation cause OA (Huether, & McCance, 2017). In addition, pain in the joins is the most common symptom for the two types of arthritis. Most importantly, it is necessary to note the differences between them in order to understand their pathophysiology's, to allow the nurses in healthcare's to apply the correct treatment and diagnosis for each.

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Causes

OA is the main type of arthritis, it is usually caused by wear and tear or damage in the rings of cartilage in the joints, resulting in a slick coating in the joint parts. The wear and tear can eventually lead to grinding of bones, which may cause pain in joints. In extension, it can progressively take place in one's body for years, the extent of the effects is usually affected by a number of factors, for example, an injury in the joint or any kind of infection may hasten the pain and the wear and tear process.

On the other hand, RA affects the linings of the joint capsules known as the synovial membrane. Capsules are simply the rigid membrane that covers other joint parts. After an occurrence of inflammation, the lining may be seen to swell causing pain in the joints as well. The swelling in the lining may lead to the destruction of cartilages and other bones which are within or along the joint.

From the two causes, it can be noted that, OA, takes place in the ends of the joints through a wear and tear process of the bones whereas RA, takes place in the linings of the synovial membrane, so the effect on the other bones results when the effects on the lining persists, and thus OA is normally regarded as the core type of arthritis (Hammer, & McPhee, 2019).

Symptoms and Treatment

Pain along and within the bones and joints, stiffness, swelling of the joints , decreased range of motion are the common symptoms that an individual affected by either type of arthritis may suffer from. To treat OA, nurses should advise the patients to take regular exercise, as studies show that, by walking short distances, the pain and joint stiffness can reduce (Allen, 2016). Additionally, to reduce the pressure in the ends of joints, weight loss measures cab be taken as this will help achieve that. nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), can also be used as a pain reliever.

However, to treat RA which is usually characterized by an autoimmune response, use of special drugs like (methotrexate, leflunomide, and sulfasalazine) and medical techniques may be necessary. For example, the use of disease-modifying antirheumatics drugs may help in reducing the disease progression, and also help save the bones from permanent damage. Although, before the application of this drugs for the prevention of progression of the disease, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) should be given to the patient to help in lowering the pain and rate of inflammation in the linings (Allen, 2016).

Factors Impacting Arthritis

The two major factors that impact both of the two types of arthritis include age and gender. As an individual continue to get older, the joints become weaker as well. The weak joints may be susceptible to the effects of inflammation. So typically, old people are much affected by the diseases, despite the pieces of evidence of the same in children of below 18 years age. The children who get affected frequently, are those that are obese, or those who do not do physical fitness like walking. Their bones may become weaker as well and hence get affected. Another factor is gender, women stand at higher chances of conceiving specifically RA type of arthritis (Huether, & McCance, 2017). This is because, their hormones are weaker as they usually do not get involved in most physical work-related activities, and therefore, their joints are usually weaker compared to those of men. basically, physical fitness is very essential to avoid possible chances of getting affected with either type of arthritis infection.

References

Huether, S. E., & McCance, K. L. (2017). Understanding pathophysiology (6th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby.

Hammer, G. D., & McPhee, S. J. (2019). Pathophysiology of disease: An introduction to clinical medicine (8th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

Allen, P. (2016). Joint Manifestations of Rheumatoid Arthritis.