There are around 16 million people effected by musculoskeletal conditions in the UK with 10 million of those suffering with arthritis (British Society for Rheumatology 2013). Arthritis is very common condition which mainly effects the joints in the body, causing pain and inflammation (Clough, 2006) however, arthritis can also effect other systems in the body, This assignment seeks to explore the effects arthritis has on the anatomy and physiology whilst covering the aetiology, related symptoms, treatments, and social impacts.
Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis
There are many different types of arthritis, however the two main types …show more content…
“The development of other various conditions is higher when rheumatoid arthritis isn’t under control” (NHS Choices, 2017). RA is most common in females, however extra-articular manifestations are more common within males (Cojocaru et al., 2010). The most common condition is Carpal tunnel syndrome, which is a musculoskeletal disorder which causes numbness and tingling sensation in the hands and fingers and can sometimes lead to pain (Montgomery, 2004). Carpal tunnel syndrome is a result of the median nerve being compressed where it goes through the wrist. The median nerve sends information to and from the brain about the sensations in the hand and fingers as well as controlling the muscles in thumb (Arthritis Research UK, 2012) Rheumatoid arthritis plays a role in CTS because of the constant inflammation of the tendon and sheath, this also leads increases the chances of tendon injuries which furthers the patient’s medical needs (Luchetti and Amadio, …show more content…
The most common condition is Sjögren’s syndrome (dry eye syndrome) which occurs along-side an autoimmune disease such as RA, Lupus or vasculitis due to the body attacking its own immune system. Around 15% of the population have this condition, however the percentage is a lot higher in those who suffer with RA. It causes a gritty feeling in the eye or the eye may even water. Occasionally the cornea can be effected in relation to ‘dry eye syndrome’, this can lead to inflammation, followed by scarring (NRAS, 2017). This is because RA affects collagen and this is what the sclera and cornea are made up of. Other diseases related to inflammation of the eye are Scleritis, uveitis, and Retinal Vascular Occlusion these are all caused by inflammation causing pain, redness and sometimes vision loss (Dunkin and Wait, no date). Inflammation can also play a role in the mouth, causing damage to the glands that produce moisture resulting in a dry mouth, as a result this could lead to the increase chances of developing tooth decay or gum inflammation. Just like the eyes, Sjögren’s syndrome is what causes this to