Arthritis

Name

Institution

Course

Instructor

Date

1
Block 1: Introduction: Understanding of Organ System

Introduction to the disease and the organ system (history, signs, symptoms, epidemiology,

etc.)

Arthritis is a group of conditions characterized by damage caused to the joints of the

body involving inflammation and pain. Arthritis is defined as the inflammation of a joint,

meaning that it is a joint disorder. A joint is a location where two or more bones contact each

other. Joints are the body parts that provide mechanical support and allow movement

(Bandyopadhyay, 2018). Since arthritis causes inflammat8io of joints, inflammation is referred

to as the localized protective response of the living tissue of a body to injury, infection, allergy,

or irritation.

Therefore, inflammation is the part of the innate immune system that defends the body

against illness and pathogens (Bandyopadhyay, 2018). However, this defense comes at the cost

of affecting the normal body’s immune and catabolic process, causing progressive, long-term

damage. However, there are quite several arthritis, and even though it involves inflammation,

some of these others may lead to little or no inflammation. The common types of arthritis,

however, are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease, leads to the breaking down of

the cartilage. The cartilage is the hard and slippery tissue that covers the ends of the bones where

they form a joint. When the cartilage breaks down, the bone grinds directly on the bone, which

causes pain and restricted movement. Besides, osteoarthritis causes bone changes and the

deterioration of the connective tissues that attach the muscle to bone and hold the joint together.

2
When the cartilage in a joint is damaged severely, the joint lining, therefore, becomes inflamed

and swollen (Bandyopadhyay, 2018). Osteoarthritis has a multifactorial etiology and can be

primary or secondary be caused by trauma or diseases of the connective tissue. The risk factors

that have been attributed to the disease are obesity, advancing age, female gender, and manual

labor.

Rheumatoid arthritis, on the other hand, is a form of arthritis that causes the immune

system to attack the joints starting the lining of the joints. When this joint is attacked, the

synovial membrane becomes swollen and inflamed, destroying the cartilage and the bone within

the joint (Bandyopadhyay, 2018). Furthermore, the other forms of arthritis are septic arthritis,

psoriatic arthritis, and gouty arthritis. Both Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis are

autoimmune diseases resulting from the body attacking itself. Septic arthritis results from joint

infection, while gouty arthritis results from the deposition of uric acid crystals in the joints that

results in subsequent inflammation. When it comes to gouty arthritis, there is a less common

form of gout known as pseudogout caused by the formation of rhomboidal-shaped crystals of

calcium pyrophosphate.

The most common signs and symptoms of arthritis involve the joints, and depending on

the type of arthritis, these signs and symptoms include pain, stiffness, swelling, redness, and

decreased motion (Bandyopadhyay, 2018). Like any other infection, arthritis has its history as

the evidence of the primary ankle osteoarthritis was discovered in dinosaurs. The first traces of

human arthritis date back to millions of years ago.

The national statistics indicate that about one in four adults making it 23.7% or

approximately 58.5 million people, have been diagnosed with arthritis in the United States.

Arthritis has been proven to be more prevalent in women when compared to men, as

3
approximately 23.5% of women have been diagnosed with arthritis. In contrast, approximately

18.1% of men have been diagnosed with arthritis. The statistics show that 40.5% of adults

diagnosed with arthritis are of poor health, while 15.4% of adults are in good health. Besides, it

has been approximated that individuals who are physically active and diagnosed with arthritis are

estimated to make up 18.1% compared to less active individuals who make up 23.6% of the

population (Karmacharya, Chakradhar, & Ogdie, 2021). Besides, statistics have shown that the

prevalence of arthritis among individuals increases with age as adults of old age are the ones who

have been diagnosed with the disease.

Block 2: Understanding of the organ system

Discussion of the normal anatomy and physiology of the organ system involved (cell and

tissue populations involved, organs, primary functions, and connections to other body

systems).

The major organ system that is affected by arthritis is the joint. A joint is where two or

more bones meet; an example is the fingers, knees, and shoulders. Joints hold bones in place to

allow them to move freely. A strong capsule surrounds most joints in the body, and this strong

capsule is filled with synovial fluid, which is essential as it lubricates the joint. These capsules

are the ones responsible for holding the bones in place. There are also ligaments like strong

elastic bands, and together with the capsules, they help hold the bones in the body in place

(Turck, Bresson, Burlingame, Dean, Fairweather‐Tait, & Siani, 2017). Furthermore, the ends of

the bones within a joint are lined with cartilage, a smooth layer of tissue that allows the gliding

of bones over each other as the body moves. When it comes to movement, the muscles are

intrinsically linked to the joints as the brain signals the muscles that pull the tendons attached to

the bone; hence, muscles have an important role in supporting the joint.

4
 Therefore, arthritis affects the joints, which depends on the type of arthritis. In the case of

osteoarthritis, the first thing that happens is the roughening of the cartilage, which makes the

body start the repair process to make up for this cartilage. This, in turn, leads to the growth of

osteophytes which are tiny bits of extra bone to grow at the ends of a bone with a joint.

Secondly, the repair process also increases the amount of thick fluid present in the joint. Lastly,

the joint capsule may stretch, resulting in the joint losing its shape.

On the other hand, in the case of rheumatoid arthritis, there tends to be inflammation and

extra fluid in the joint, resulting in a couple of problems. One of the problems is that the

movement of the joint can be difficult and painful (Adami, & Saag, 2019). Secondly, it may lead

to damage of the bone and joint by chemicals in the fluid. Besides, this extra fluid may lead to

stretching of the joint capsule, and when a joint is stretched, it is difficult to return to its original

position. Lastly, there can be irritation of nerve endings due to chemicals in the fluid, which may

cause pain in the joints.

Block 3: Function Changes Due to Pathology

Discussion of the changes to the anatomy and physiology as a result of the disease

(pathophysiology)

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common types of arthritis. Its pathogenesis involves the

degradation of the cartilage and the remodeling of the bone due to the active response of

chondrocytes in the articular cartilage and the inflammatory cells in the surrounding tissues. The

release of enzymes from these cells leads to the breaking down of collagen and proteoglycans,

leading to the destruction of the articular cartilage (Adami & Saag, 2019). Furthermore, the

exposure of the underlying subchondral bone results in sclerosis as well as changes that lead to

the formation of osteophytes and subchondral bone cysts. As a result of this, the joint space gets

5
lost over time. The most common joints affected by osteoarthritis are the knee joint, the hip joint,

and the small joints of the hands and feet. Arguably, prolonged osteoarthritis leads to deformity

and a reduced range of movements.

On the other hand, rheumatoid arthritis is the second most common type of arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis affects the muscular system differently, which is the system made up of all

the muscles of the body. The muscular system is made up of the skeletal muscles that support the

joints to produce movements. Besides, the muscular system is also made up of the tendons that

attach muscles to bones (Adami & Saag, 2019). Rheumatoid arthritis leads to the inflammation

of the small joints of the hands, and this is one of the first indications of the disease within the

body.

During the early stages, the disease does not affect both sides of the body; however, it

leads to symptoms on both sides. Rheumatoid arthritis leads to pain, swelling, stiffness, and

tenderness of joints. Symptoms can be felt in the hands, feet, shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, and

ankles as the disease progresses. Arguably, the progression of rheumatoid arthritis affects the

tendons, ligaments, and muscles. This leads to difficulties in the movement of joints, leading to

them being damaged and deformed (Adami & Saag, 2019). Rheumatoid arthritis leads to high

risks of osteoporosis which is a condition that leads to the loss and the weakness of bones. This

weakness may lead to the fracturing and breaking of bones.

Rheumatoid arthritis also affects the integumentary system, including the skin, hair, and

nails. The most common skin problems are skin rashes and ulcers. Besides, the disease also leads

to hair loss as a symptom of the disease, while other people suffer from hair loss due to the

treatment of the disease. The Ocular system, which consists of the eyes and is the central visual

6
system, is also affected by rheumatoid arthritis (Adami & Saag, 2019). Lastly, rheumatoid

arthritis affects the immune system as it increases the risk of infections among individuals.

Block 4: Treatment or prevention

Discussion of treatment/prevention options.

The treatment of arthritis is administered to control pain, reduce the damage of the joint

and improve the quality of life. There are several medications as well as life strategies that are

used in the treatment of arthritis. The first treatment is through medication, where non-

inflammatory types such as osteoarthritis are treated through pain-reducing medications and

physical activity in obesity (Jung, 2017). Besides, these treatments are also used to treat

inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis, together with anti-inflammatory medications

such as corticosteroids.

The second form of treatment in treating arthritis is natural remedies. Natural remedies

include a healthy balanced diet, physical activities, avoidance of drugs and alcohol use.

Incorporating these helps individuals with arthritis maintain their general health, thus improving

their quality of life. The third form of the treatment of arthritis is physical therapy. Doctors use

physical therapy to help overcome challenges and reduce any limitations of movement (Jung,

2017). Some forms of physical therapies include warm water therapy, which involves

incorporating physical exercises and occupational therapy, which uses specialized aids that

protect the joints from more damage. The last form of treatment is physical activity, where

individuals who have arthritis are engaged in physical activities. Physical activities have been

seen as an effective way of reducing long-term symptoms of the disease. These physical

activities include walking, swimming, and cycling.

7
 References

Adami, G., & Saag, K. G. (2019). Osteoporosis pathophysiology, epidemiology, and screening in

rheumatoid arthritis. Current rheumatology reports, 21(7), 1-10.

Bandyopadhyay, S. K. (2018). Arthritis-a review on two types. Journal of the American Ceramic

Society, 92(6), 1153-1177.

EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition, and Allergies (NDA), Turck, D., Bresson, J. L.,

Burlingame, B., Dean, T., Fairweather‐Tait, S., & Siani, A. (2017). Curcumin and normal

functioning of joints: evaluation of a health claim pursuant to Article 13 (5) of Regulation

(EC) No 1924/2006. EFSA Journal, 15(5), e04774.

Jung, K. H. (2017). Diagnosis and treatment of arthritis. Journal of the Korean Neurological

Association, 35(Suppl), 25-30.

Karmacharya, P., Chakradhar, R., & Ogdie, A. (2021). The epidemiology of arthritis: A literature

review. Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology, 101692.

Chicago