Self-Care Tips: What is Arthritis? 
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The term arthritis refers to a variety of problems with joints. Arthritis generally causes pain, swelling, and stiffness and can affect one or more joints of the body. It can occur at any age, but affects older people most frequently.

What is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is the most common arthritis. It is also known as the "wear and tear" arthritis and is caused by a breakdown of the joint cartilage. It is a progressive degenerative joint disease (DJD), meaning it gets worse over time. It may occur at any age, but is especially common for people in their 50s and 60s. Osteoarthritis generally affects the weight-bearing joints, like the knees, hips and the joints of the spine. However, Osteoarthritis can also affect the fingers.

Signs/Symptoms

•	Joint pain/tenderness that gets worse over time
•	Joint stiffness, especially in the morning
•	Loss of movement
•	Nodes or bony knobs around some joints
•	Joint swelling
•	Muscle spasms or weakness

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What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Rheumatiod arthritis is a condition that causes inflammation, and eventual destruction, of the lining of the joint or synovial membrane. It usually starts in middle age, but affects all age groups and is more common in women. Rheumatiod arthritis affects both sides of the body equally. Rheumatiod arthritis can affect all body joints but usually occurs first in small joints of the hands and feet.

Signs/Symptoms

•	Joints are warm, swollen, painful, redness
•	Flu-like symptoms, including weight loss and loss of appetite
•	Morning stiffness
•	Deformity of joints over time

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What is Gout?
Gout is caused by a build-up of uric acid crystals in the joint fluid. It is characterized by a sudden onset of severe pain. Gout most commonly affects the joints of the big toe but can affect the ankle, knee, elbow, and wrist as well. It is most common in men over 40 years old and may be aggravated by drinking alcohol or taking asprin or other medications.

Signs/Symptoms
Sudden onset of severe pain, stiffness, swelling, redness, and heat.

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How Is Arthritis Treated?

•	Reduce pain and stiffness
•	Maintain or increase movement

Medications
Medications are given to decrease pain and inflammation. If inflammation is not decreased, arthritis can damage the joint. The medications prescribed depend on the type of arthritis you have. Take medication only after consulting your physician/nurse practitioner.

Moist Heat
Moist heat can relieve joint stiffness, muscle tension, and pain. It relaxes tense muscles and increases blood flow. do not use on swollen or inflamed joints.

Good source of heat includes:

•	Moist heating pads
•	Warm showers or baths
•	Moist towels heated in a microwave

Be careful of burning your skin, especially if you have decreased feeling (for example, from diabetes or stoke). Do not apply heat for more than 10–15 minutes at a time.

Cold
Cold is best for red, hot, or swollen joints. It helps decrease swelling and pain. It relaxes tense muscles and has a numbing effect. good sources of cold include:

•	An ice pack wrapped in a damp towel
•	A bag of frozen peas
•	A plastic bag filled with ice cubes and wrapped in a damp towel

Be careful of freezing your skin, especially if you have decreased feeling (for example, from diabetes or stoke). Do not apply heat for more than 10–15 minutes at a time.

Joint Protection
Protecting the joints means decreasing the wear and tear on the joint. Decreasing wear and tear will help protect the joint from more harm and deformity.

Follow these rules to protect your joints:

•	Avoid long periods in the same position
•	Decrease strees on the joints by keeping good posture and maintaining normal body weight
•	keeping joints properly lined up (alignment)
•	Remove weight from joint when very painful
•	Avoid overuse during flare-ups
•	Change activities to decease joint stress
•	Avoid using braces or other mechanical devices that limit joint movement unless advised by a health care professional

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When to call Kaiser Permanente...

•	You have a fever or skin rash along with severe joint pain
•	If the joint is so painful that you cannot use it
•	If there is a sudden unexplained swelling, redness, heat, or pain in any joint
•	If there is severe pain and swelling in multiple joints
•	Sudden weakness in legs or loss of bowel or bladder control
•	Joint pain continues over six weeks and home treatment is not helping
•	If you experience side affects from aspirin or other arthritis medications (stomach pain, nausea, heartburn, or dark tarry stools

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