关节炎 and other rheumatic diseases are common conditions that cause pain, 肿胀, 运动受限. 它们会影响身体周围的关节和结缔组织. 数以百万计的美国人.S. 有关节炎吗.

关节炎是指关节发红和肿胀(炎症). 关节是两块或两块以上骨头交汇的地方. 有100多种不同的关节炎疾病. 风湿病包括任何引起疼痛的疾病, 刚度, 关节肿胀, 肌肉, 肌腱, 韧带, 或骨骼. 关节炎通常是持续的(慢性).

关节炎 and other rheumatic diseases are more common in women than men. 它们也经常与老年联系在一起. 但它们会影响所有年龄段的人.

两种最常见的关节炎是:

• 骨关节炎. 这是最常见的关节炎类型. 这是一种关节慢性疾病, 尤其是膝盖的负重关节, 臀部, 和脊柱. It destroys the coating on the ends of bones (cartilage) and narrows the joint space. 它还会导致骨骼过度生长、骨刺和功能下降. 随着年龄的增长，大多数人都会出现这种情况. 它也可能发生在年轻人身上，因为受伤或过度使用.

• 类风湿性关节炎. 这是一种关节内膜炎症性疾病. 这种炎症可能会影响所有的关节. 它还会影响心脏或肺等器官.

其他形式的关节炎或相关疾病包括:

• 痛风. This condition causes uric acid crystals to build up in small joints, such as the big toe. 它会引起疼痛和炎症.

• 红斑狼疮. 这是一种慢性自身免疫性疾病. It causes periods of inflammation and damage in joints, 肌腱, and organs.

• 硬皮病. This autoimmune disease causes thickening and hardening of the skin and other connective tissue in the body.

• 强直性脊柱炎. 这种疾病导致脊椎的骨头一起生长. 它还会引起身体其他部位的炎症. It can affect the shoulders, 臀部s, ribs, and the small joints of the hands and feet.

• 幼年特发性关节炎(JIA) 或幼年类风湿性关节炎(JRA). This is a form of arthritis in children that causes inflammation and joint 刚度. 孩子们长大后往往无法适应JRA. 但它会影响成长中的孩子的骨骼发育.

关节炎的成因?

原因取决于关节炎的类型. 骨关节炎 is caused by the wear and tear of the joint over time or because of overuse. 类风湿性关节炎, 红斑狼疮, and scleroderma are caused by the body’s immune system attacking the body’s own tissues. 痛风是由关节中晶体的积聚引起的. 某些形式的关节炎可能与基因有关. People with genetic marker HLA-B27 have a higher risk of ankylosing spondylitis. 对于其他形式的关节炎，病因尚不清楚.

谁有患关节炎的风险?

Some risk factors for arthritis that can’t be avoided or changed include:

• 年龄. 年龄越大，患关节炎的可能性就越大.

• 性别. 女性比男性更容易患关节炎.

• 遗传. 某些类型的关节炎与某些基因有关.

可避免或改变的风险因素包括:

• 重量. 超重或肥胖会损害你的膝关节. 这会使他们更容易患上骨关节炎.

• 受伤. A joint that has been damaged by an injury is more likely to develop arthritis at some point.

• 感染. 反应性关节炎会在感染后影响关节.

• 你的工作. Work that involves repeated bending or squatting can lead to knee arthritis.

关节炎的症状是什么?

每个人的症状可能不同. 最常见的症状包括:

• 一个或多个关节的疼痛不会消失，也不会复发

• 1个或多个关节发热和发红

• 一个或多个关节肿胀

• 一个或多个关节僵硬

• 无法正常移动一个或多个关节

这些症状可能看起来像其他健康状况. 经常去看你的医疗保健提供者进行诊断.

如何诊断关节炎?

Your healthcare provider will take your medical history and give you a physical exam. 也可以进行测试. 这些包括血液检查，如:

• 抗核抗体试验. 这检查血液中的抗体水平.

• 全血细胞计数. This checks if your white blood cell, red blood cell, and platelet levels are normal.

• 肌酸酐. 这个检查检查肾脏疾病.

• 沉降速度. 这个测试可以发现炎症.

• 血细胞比容. 这个测试测量红细胞的数量.

• RF (rheumatoid factor) and CCP (cyclic citrullinated peptide) antibody tests. 这些可以帮助诊断风湿性关节炎. 他们还可以评估疾病的严重程度.

• 白细胞计数. 这可以检查你血液中的白细胞水平.

• 尿酸. 这有助于诊断痛风.

可以进行其他测试，例如:

• 关节抽吸(关节穿刺). 从关节处取一小块滑液样本. 检测它是否含有晶体、细菌或病毒.

• x光或其他成像检查. 这些可以判断关节的损伤程度.

• 尿检. 这检查蛋白质和不同种类的血细胞.

• HLA组织分型. 寻找强直性脊柱炎的遗传标记.

• 皮肤活组织检查. 取出微小的组织样本，在显微镜下检查. This test helps to diagnose a type of arthritis that involves the skin, 如狼疮或银屑病关节炎.

• 肌肉活检. 取出微小的组织样本，在显微镜下检查. 这项测试有助于诊断影响肌肉的疾病.

关节炎是如何治疗的?

Treatment will depend on your symptoms, your age, and your general health. It will also depend on how what type of arthritis you have, and how severe the condition is. A treatment plan is tailored to each person with his or her health care provider.

关节炎无法治愈. The goal of treatment is often to limit pain and inflammation, and help ensure joint function. 治疗计划通常使用短期和长期方法.

短期治疗包括:

• 药物. Short-term relief for pain and inflammation may include pain relievers such as acetaminophen, 阿斯匹林, 布洛芬, 或者其他非甾体类抗炎药物.

• 热和冷. Pain may be eased by using moist heat (warm bath or shower) or dry heat (heating pad) on the joint. Pain and 肿胀 may be eased with cold (ice pack wrapped in a towel) on the joint.

• 联合固定化. The use of a splint or brace can help a joint rest and protect it from further injury.

• 按摩. The light massage of painful 肌肉 may increase blood flow and bring warmth to the muscle.

• 经皮神经电刺激(TENS). 使用TENS装置可以减轻疼痛. The device sends mild, electrical pulses to nerve endings in the painful area. 这会阻止疼痛信号传递给大脑，改变对疼痛的感知.

• 针灸. This is the use of thin needles that are inserted at specific points in the body. It may stimulate the release of natural, pain-relieving chemicals made by the nervous system. 该程序由有执照的卫生保健提供者完成.

长期治疗包括:

• 改善疾病的抗风湿药物(DMARDs). These prescription medications may slow down the disease and treat any immune system problems linked to the disease. 这些药物的例子包括甲氨蝶呤, 羟氯喹, 柳氮磺胺吡啶, 和苯丁酸氮芥.

• 糖皮质激素. 皮质类固醇可以减轻炎症和肿胀. These medications, such as prednisone, can be taken orally or as an injection.

• 透明质酸疗法. This is a joint fluid that appears to break down in people with osteoarthritis. It can be injected into a joint, such as the knee, to help relieve symptoms.

• 手术. There are many types of surgery, depending on which joints are affected. 手术 options may include arthroscopy, fusion, or joint replacement. 手术后完全恢复需要6个月. A rehabilitation program after surgery is an important part of the treatment.

关节炎 treatment can include a team of health care providers, such as:

• 整形外科医师/整形外科医生

• 风湿病学家

• 物理治疗医师

• 初级保健医生(家庭医学或内科)

• 康复护士

• 营养师

• 物理治疗师

• 职业治疗师

• 社会工作者

• 心理学家或精神病学家

• 休闲的治疗师

• 职业治疗师

关节炎的并发症有哪些?

Because arthritis causes joints to worsen over time, it can cause disability. 它会导致疼痛和运动问题. 你可能无法进行正常的日常活动和任务.

关节炎患者的生活

关节炎无法治愈. But it’s important to help keep joints working by reducing pain and inflammation. Work on a treatment plan with your healthcare provider that includes medicine and therapy. 改变生活方式可以提高你的生活质量. 生活方式的改变包括:

• 减肥. Extra weight puts more stress on weight-bearing joints, such as the 臀部s and knees.

• 锻炼. 一些运动可以帮助减轻关节疼痛和僵硬. These include swimming, walking, low-impact aerobic exercise, and range-of-motion exercises. 伸展运动也有助于保持关节灵活.

• 活动和休息. 为了减轻关节的压力，在活动和休息之间转换. 这有助于保护你的关节，减轻你的症状.

• 使用辅助设备. Canes, crutches, and walkers can help keep stress off certain joints and improve balance.

• 使用自适应设备. 伸手器和抓握器可以让你伸得更远，减少紧张. 穿衣辅助工具可以帮助你更容易地穿好衣服.

• 管理药物使用. Long-term use of some anti-inflammatory medicines can lead to stomach bleeding. Work with your healthcare provider to create a plan to reduce this risk.

我应该什么时候给我的医疗保健提供者打电话?

Call your provider if your symptoms get worse or you have new symptoms.

关节炎要点

• 关节炎和其他风湿性疾病会引起疼痛, 肿胀, 身体的关节和结缔组织活动受限.

• 关节炎 and other rheumatic diseases can affect people of all ages. 女性比男性更常见.

• Symptoms may include pain, 刚度, 肿胀, warmth, or redness in 1 or more joints.

• 关节炎无法治愈. The treatment goal is to limit pain and inflammation and preserve joint function.

• Treatment options include medicines, weight reduction, exercise, and surgery.