Arthritis, which is a condition that affects one in three adult Americans, is one that affects the bone joints in the body. Because there is no cure, many sufferers are forced to cope with it's painful effects. Arthritis in the knee is one of the common ailments and can make it difficult to walk, bend the leg or even sleep at night.
Osteoarthritis is often the result of increased strain on the joint due to weight, or repeated injury or damage. Knee arthritis is definitely more common in middle aged to elderly persons. A younger sufferer of knee arthritis has usually inherited the condition- it does have a genetic disposition, or it can be the after affect of a serious knee injury- more common in sports men- specifically footballers. Rheumatoid arthritis is more common in younger people for this reason.
Some of the most common symptoms of arthritis in the knee are achy leg muscles and joints, swelling and tenderness around the knee area, a crackling sound when leg is bent or moved, stiffness and difficulty in movement. These symptoms may become increasingly worse during cold weather or when rain is predicted. Weather patterns greatly affect arthritis in the knee, as well as arthritis in other parts of the body.
Only a proper diagnosis can eliminate other knee disorders. Your doctor can arrange a physical checkup and x-rays. X-rays help your doctor to determine the damage to the joint. These two examinations will determine whether you need comprehensive tests later on.
You may need to do an erythrocyte sedimentation rate, which is a blood test to confirm if you have rheumatoid arthritis. It show how fast the red blood cells hold together and fall to the bottom of a test tube. If they sink faster, it shows that you have inflammation in the body.
Sometimes, your doctor extracts some fluid from the knee joint to determine the presence of other types of arthritis such as gout. An arthroscopy is only required if a surgery is to be performed. It can provide a better picture of the damage of the cartilage, tendons, and ligaments.
