Conditions

More than 50 million adults and 300,000 children suffer from some type of arthritis in the U.S. It is the leading cause of disability in America. Arthritis is very common but is not well understood. Actually, “arthritis” is not a single disease; it is an informal way of referring to joint pain or joint disease. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis and related conditions.

Common arthritis joint symptoms include inflammation, swelling, pain, stiffness and decreased range of motion. Symptoms may come and go. They can be mild, moderate or severe. Symptoms may stay the same, progress or get worse over time. Severe arthritis can result in chronic pain, inability to do daily activities and make it difficult to walk or climb stairs. Arthritis can cause permanent joint changes. These changes may be visible, such as knobby finger joints, but often the damage can only be seen on X-ray. Some types of arthritis also affect the heart, eyes, lungs, kidneys and skin as well as the joints.

The symptomatic therapy for musculoskeletal system pathology consists of non-steroidal and steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs relieve pain, eliminate inflammation in the joints, but do not accelerate the recovery of the affected cartilage tissue.