Why do many women with arthritis feel worsening symptoms before and
during their monthly menstrual periods? During the course of any day in caring
for women with arthritis, it is not uncommon for a number of them to complain of a
monthly regular worsening of their joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. This is
not just a coincidence.
Many forms of arthritis and rheumatic diseases are known to occur more
frequently in women than in men. Moreover, it is not unusual for the initial
presentation of these conditions to occur following a pregnancy. Why?
Researchers are finding that the immune system is influenced by signals from
the female reproductive hormones. It seems that the levels of hormones, such as
estrogen and testosterone, as well as changes in these levels can promote
autoimmunity. "Autoimmunity" is a condition whereby the immune system
(which normally wards off foreign invaders of the body, such as infections)
turns and attacks the body's own tissues, such as skin, joints, liver, lungs,
etc. Autoimmune diseases typically feature inflammation of various tissues of
the body.
Arthritis is a joint disorder featuring inflammation. A joint is an area of the body where
two different bones meet. A joint functions to move the body parts connected by its bones.
Arthritis literally means inflammation of one or more joints.
Arthritis is frequently accompanied by joint pain. Joint pain is
referred to as arthralgia.
There are many types of arthritis (over 100 and growing). The types range from those related to wear and tear of cartilage (such as osteoarthritis) to those associated with inflammation resulting from an overactive immune system (such as rheumatoid arthritis). Together, the many types of arthritis make up the most common chronic illness in the United States.
The causes of arthritis depend on the form of arthritis. Causes include injury (leading to osteoarthritis), metabolic abnormalities (such as gout and pseudogout), hereditary factors, infections, and unclear reasons (such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus).
Arthritis is classified as one of the rheumatic diseases. These are conditions that are different individual illnesses, with differing features, treatments, complications, and prognoses. They are similar in that they have a tendency to affect the joints, muscles, ligaments, cartilage, and tendons, and many have the potential to affect other internal body areas.
What are symptoms of arthritis?
Symptoms of arthritis include pain and limited function of joints.
Inflammation of the joints from arthritis is characterized by joint
stiffness, swelling, redness, and warmth. Tenderness of the inflamed joint can be
present.
Many of the forms of arthritis, because they are rheumatic diseases,
can cause symptoms affecting various organs of the body that do not
directly involve the joints. Therefore, symptoms in some patients
with certain forms of arthritis can also include fever, gland swelling
(lymph node), weight loss,
fatigue, feeling unwell, and even symptoms from abnormalities of organs such as the lungs, heart, or kidneys.
Total Hip Replacement - Read about total hip replacement surgery complications, problems (infection, prosthesis failure, fractured hip, limited mobility), post op rehab and precautions.
Rheumatoid Arthritis - Learn more about rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that causes chronic joint inflammation, which has symptoms that include stiffness, fever, muscle and joint aches, loss of appetite, and fatigue. Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis incorporates the use of first-line drugs (aspirin and corticosteroids for pain and inflammation) and second-line drugs (methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine to prevent joint destruction and promote remission).
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Nerves are like electrical cords that carry information from the brain to the rest of
the body and vice-versa. They are distributed throughout the entire body.
Motor
(efferent) nerves carry information from the brain out to the
body. This allows the brain to send commands to the various organs of the body.
For example, these commands are sent to the muscles causing them to contract
and move, or sends information to the
heart to either beat faster or
slower.
Sensory (afferent) nerves send information from the body back to the brain
for processing, including information about
pain, touch,
taste, temperature, or
other sensations.
The information travels along the nerve by an electrochemical signal, much
like information traveling along an electrical cord. When a nerve is pinched,
the signal is interrupted somewhere along its path.
Why do many women with arthritis feel worsening symptoms before and
during their monthly 
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