SaveYourJoints.org

Site Navigation:
Tagline - Take Action. Take Control. Save Your Joints!

Men's Corner

Nearly 70 million Americans (1 in 3 adults) has arthritis. Some 28.9 million men have arthritis as compared with 41 million women. Of the more than 100 different types of arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout and reactive arthritis are especially common among men.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common forms of arthritis. Known as the “wear-and-tear” kind of arthritis, OA is a chronic condition characterized by the breakdown of the joint’s cartilage (the part of the joint that cushions the ends of the bones and allows easy movement of joints). The breakdown of cartilage causes the bones to rub against each other, causing stiffness, pain and loss of movement in the joint.

Osteoarthritis is known by many different names, including degenerative joint disease, ostoarthrosis, hypertrophic arthritis and degenerative arthritis. Today, an estimated 21 million Americans live with OA. It most commonly affects middle-aged and older people, particularly after age 45. Men under age 55 are more likely to have OA than women under 55. After age 55, women are more commonly affected; and, overall, more women have OA than men. It is thought that this is because the broader female hips put more long-term stress on the knees. However, age increases your risk for OA. The cause is still not completely known and there is no cure. In fact, many different factors may play a role in whether or not you get OA, including age; injury or overuse (past sports-related cartilage injuries that accelerate the breakdown that leads to OA); genetics; and obesity (men are at higher risk for OA when you are 10 pounds or more overweight).

Changes in the cartilage and bones of the joint can lead to pain, stiffness and use limitations. Deterioration of cartilage can:

  • Affect the shape and makeup of the joint so it doesn’t function smoothly. This can mean that you limp when you walk or have trouble going up and down stairs.
  • Cause fragments of bone and cartilage to float in joint fluid causing irritation and pain
  • Cause bony spurs, called osteophytes, to develop near the ends of bones· Mean the joint fluid doesn’t have enough hyaluronan, which affects the joint’s ability to absorb shock
  • Result in inflammation.

Osteoarthritis most commonly occurs in the weight-bearing joints of the hips, knees and lower back. It also affects the neck, small finger joints, the base of the thumb and the big toe. OA rarely affects other joints except when injury or stress is involved.

The most common signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis are:

  • Joint soreness after periods of overuse or inactivity.
  • Stiffness after periods of rest that goes away quickly when activity resumes.
  • Morning stiffness, which usually lasts no more than 30 minutes.
  • Pain caused by the weakening of muscles surrounding the joint due to inactivity.
  • Joint pain is usually less in the morning and worse in the evening after a day’s activity.
  • Deterioration of coordination, posture and walking due to pain and stiffness.
Early diagnosis and treatment is the key to controlling osteoarthritis and in the prevention of additional joint damage. The most important thing you can do if you suspect you have any form of arthritis is to get a proper diagnosis and begin early, aggressive treatment. In addition to medications you may take, making healthy lifestyle changes, managing stress and depression, avoiding joint damage, and balancing rest and activity will play a key role in battling the pain and limitations that can come with OA.

Gout

Gout causes sudden, severe pain, tenderness, redness, warmth and swelling of the joints. During an episode or painful attack, you may also experience shiny, red or purple skin around the joint and extreme tenderness in the joint area. The large joint of the big toe is the most commonly affected by gout. It affects 2.1 million Americans, and can occur at any age, but usually affects men between ages 30-50. African-American men are particularly at risk for gout.

The joint pain and swelling from gout are due to increased levels of uric acid in the blood (hyperuricemia); and the formation of uric acid crystals in joints. These crystals cause painful inflammation of the joint; and while uric acid usually dissolves in the blood and passes through the kidneys into the urine, in people with gout, the uric acid level in the blood becomes elevated.

Gout usually develops suddenly (often first occurring at night), and the joint pain and swelling may last 5-10 days. Then you may experience a period without symptoms, followed by a sudden onset of pain. In some people, this persistent swelling, stiffness and joint pain can linger for years if left untreated. Uric acid crystals can form large deposits under the skin (tophi) and in the kidneys, bladder or tubes that connect the kidneys and bladder, causing kidney stones.

At one time, gout was thought of as a disease of wealthy people because people thought it was caused from eating rich foods and drinking alcohol excessively. However, gout can be triggered by joint trauma; drinking too much alcohol; surgery or sudden, severe illness; taking diuretic medicines for high blood pressure, leg swelling (edema) or heart failure; crash diets; chemotherapy; and eating food high in purines, among others. Diet and weight may also play a role.

To diagnose whether or not you have gout, your doctor will take a blood test to measure you’re the level of uric acid in your blood or he or she may remove fluid from a joint suspected to be caused by gout and examine it for uric acid crystals. With the correct diagnosis, along with medication and lifestyle changes, gout can be controlled and prevented. For example, cut down on foods that can raise your uric acid level, such as sardines and anchovies; broths and gravies; organ meats (liver, kidneys); and dried beans and peas. Limit alcohol, especially beer, which can raise your uric acid level. Drink at least 10-12 8 oz. glasses of non-alcoholic fluid daily if you’ve had kidney stones to help flush out acid crystals from your kidneys. Avoid gaining weight, or with the help of your doctor, start a weight-loss program if you are overweight. Obesity can be linked to high uric acid levels. But start slowly: fasting or crash diets can actually raise your uric acid level.

Reactive Arthritis

Reactive arthritis is a form of arthritis, or joint inflammation, that occurs as a "reaction" to an infection elsewhere in the body. Besides this joint inflammation in the knees, ankles, and feet, reactive arthritis is associated with redness and inflammation of the eyes (conjunctivitis) and inflammation of the urinary tract (urethritis). These symptoms may occur alone, together, or not at all. Reactive arthritis is also known as Reiter's syndrome, and seronegative spondyloarthropathy (a group of disorders that can cause inflammation throughout the body, especially in the spine).

Overall, men between ages 20-40 are most likely to develop reactive arthritis. Although men are nine times more likely than women to develop reactive arthritis due to venereally acquired infections, women and men are equally likely to develop reactive arthritis as a result of food-borne infections. Women with reactive arthritis often have milder symptoms than men.

In many patients, reactive arthritis is triggered by a venereal infection in the bladder, the urethra, or, in women, the vagina, that is often transmitted through sexual contact. Another form of reactive arthritis is caused by an infection in the intestinal tract from eating food or handling substances that are contaminated with bacteria.

Reactive arthritis typically begins about 1-3 weeks after infection. The symptoms of reactive arthritis usually last 3-12 months, although symptoms can return or develop into a long-term disease in a small percentage of people. People with reactive arthritis commonly develop inflammation of the tendons (tendinitis) or at places where tendons attach to the bone (ethesitis), which can result in heel pain or irritation of the Achilles tendon at the back of the ankle. Some people with reactive arthritis also develop heel spurs (bony growths in the heel) that may cause chronic foot pain. Some may also experience lower back and buttock pain. Reactive arthritis also can cause spondylitis (inflammation of the vertebrae in the spinal column) or sacroiliitis (inflammation of the joints in the lower back that connect the spine to the pelvis).

Men may notice an increased need to urinate, a burning sensation when urinating, and a fluid discharge from the penis. Some men with reactive arthritis develop prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate gland). Symptoms of prostatitis can include fever and chills, as well as an increased need to urinate and a burning sensation when urinating. Between 20 and 40 percent of men with reactive arthritis develop small, shallow, painless sores (ulcers) on the end of the penis.

The bacterium most often associated with reactive arthritis is Chlamydia trachomatis, commonly known as chlamydia, which is usually acquired through sexual contact. Some evidence also shows that respiratory infections with Chlamydia pneumoniae may trigger reactive arthritis. Infections in the digestive tract that may trigger reactive arthritis include Salmonella, Shigella, Yersinia, and Campylobacter. People may become infected with these bacteria after eating or handling improperly prepared food, such as meats that are not stored at the proper temperature. While reactive arthritis is not contagious, the bacteria that can trigger it can be passed from person to person.

Doctors do not know exactly why some people exposed to these bacteria develop reactive arthritis and others do not, but they have identified a genetic factor, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) B27 that increases a person's chance of developing reactive arthritis. Approximately 80 percent of people with reactive arthritis test positive for HLA-B27. However, inheriting the HLA-B27 gene does not necessarily mean you will get reactive arthritis.

It is difficult to diagnose reactive arthritis because there is no specific laboratory test to confirm that a person has it. A doctor may order blood tests to rule out other conditions and to detect the genetic factor HLA-B27, but even if the result is positive, the presence of HLA-B27 does not always mean that a person has the disorder. The doctor is likely to perform tests for infections that might be associated with reactive arthritis. A doctor may also use x-rays to help diagnose reactive arthritis and to rule out other causes of arthritis.

Although there is no cure for reactive arthritis, some medicines relieve symptoms of the disorder. With the approval of your doctor, exercise may help improve joint function, such as strengthening and range-of-motion exercises, when introduced gradually. For patients with spine pain or inflammation, exercises to stretch and extend the back can be particularly helpful in preventing long-term disability.

Sources: Arthritis Foundation, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)