Discusses arthritis in general; rheumatoid arthritis, what it is and how it is diagnosed and treated; and how to care for and and elderly person with rheumatoid arthritis.
OutlineIn this class, we will cover:
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"Arthritis" means "inflammation or degeneration of joint or joints". It is a general term that includes over 100 different diseases.
To understand about arthritis, first we need to understand about joints.
Joints attach one bone to another one. There are two types of joints:
1. Cartilage Joints
• The first are those in which the space between the bones is filled with cartilage. These joints permit little or no movement. For example, the joints between th vertebrae of the spine are filled with a cartilage disk. The movement allowed between two disks next to each other is very small. The bones of the skull are also connected with this type of joint.
2. Synovial Joints
• The second kind of joint are called synovial [GLOSSARY] joints. In these kinds of joints, the space between the bones is lined with a fibrous capsule. The capsule is filled with synovial fluid which lubricates and allows the bones to move smoothly past each other. In addition, there is a special layer (the "synovium") at of cartilage the end of each bone that acts as a shock absorber. Examples of synovial joints are the joints of the hip, the elbow and the knee.
