Male Speaker: Arthritis is a condition in which the structure and function of the joints is impaired. The word arthritis means, joint inflammation. Synovial or freely moving joints are composed of cartilage tip bones connected by ligaments. A membrane surrounds the space between the bones and contains the synovial fluid. This liquid lubricates the joint allowing for smooth motion.
Osteoarthritis is a condition that most commonly strikes large weight-bearing joints, such as the knee and hip. In osteoarthritis, friction in the joint causes the cartilage to wear away.
As abrasion continues, the ends of the bones respond to the increased stress by producing new tissue, which protrudes from the margin of the joints. Osteoarthritis rarely causes crippling deformities.
However, in advanced cases affecting particular joints such as the hip, joint replacement surgery maybe required to improve or restore mobility.
In rheumatoid arthritis the synovial membrane, which normally secretes fluid to lubricate the joint, becomes painfully inflamed for reasons which are not fully understood. An autoimmune reaction occurs in which the inflamed synovial membrane expands into the joint, producing scar tissue and causing erosion of the cartilage. At the same time fluid accumulates in the joint cavity increasing pain.
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