Arthritis is often referred to as if it were a single disease, but it is actually an umbrella term used for a group of 100 medical conditions that collectively affect nearly 46 million adults and 300,000 children in America alone. Currently, it is the leading cause of disability in the United States and one out of three people will be affected by it. While the most common form of arthritis - osteoarthritis (OA) - is most prevalent in people over 60, arthritis in its various forms can start as early as infancy. Some forms affect people in their young-adult years as they are beginning careers and families and still others start during the peak career and child-rearing years.

Arthritis occurs where two or more bones meet called the joints. These joint related problems include pain, stiffness, inflammation and damage to joint cartilage and surrounding structures. Such damage can lead to joint weakness, instability and visible deformities that, depending on the location of joint involvement, can interfere with the most basic daily tasks.

Today, arthritis pain can be controlled and managed through a combination of medication, exercise, rest, weight-management, nutrition, and, in some cases, surgery. The physicians at the Arthritis Centers of Texas can tell if you have arthritis and the extent through blood tests and x-rays. The staff will then be able to help you decide on the best treatment for your case.

For many people with arthritis, however, joint involvement is not the extent of the problem. Many forms of arthritis are classified as systemic, meaning they can affect the whole body. In these diseases, arthritis can cause damage to virtually any bodily organ or system, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, blood vessels and skin. Arthritis-related conditions primarily affect the muscles and the bones.

The Arthritis Foundation estimates that arthritis and related conditions cost the U.S. economy more than $124 billion per year in medical care and indirect expenses such as lost wages and production. Arthritis also costs millions of individuals their health, their physical abilities and, in many cases, their independence. With the population aging, this conditions is only going to get worse. Click here to contact the Arthritis Centers of Texas or call us at (214) 580-3630 for an appointment.

Some information from this article was provided by the Arthritis Foundation. To visit their website, please click here.