Bone & Joint

Arthritis is a broad word for pain, stiffness, swelling and reduced movement of joints. It is not a single disease — it covers more than 100 conditions.

Back pain affects nearly everyone at some point. Most episodes are mechanical (muscle/ligament strain, disc-related, posture-related) and settle within a few weeks with simple measures.

Muscular dystrophies (MDs) are a group of inherited muscle diseases that cause progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass. The commonest and most severe is Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), which affects boys and usually becomes evident before age 5.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease — the immune system attacks the lining of joints, causing pain, swelling, and over time joint damage and deformity. It also affects other organs (lungs, eyes, heart, blood vessels).

Knee replacement (knee arthroplasty) is surgery to replace a damaged knee joint with a metal-and-plastic implant. It is one of the most successful operations in medicine — most patients have far less pain and much better function.

Sciatica is pain from irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve — the nerve that runs from the lower back through the buttock and down the back of each leg. Pain typically shoots from the low back or buttock down one leg.

A fracture is a break in a bone. Most fractures are from falls, road accidents, or sports injuries.

Gout is a form of arthritis caused by crystals of uric acid forming in a joint. It usually presents as a sudden, severe, red, hot, swollen joint — most often the big toe — that comes on overnight and is excruciatingly painful.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is pressure on the median nerve as it passes through a tight passage in the wrist. It causes pain, tingling, and numbness in the thumb, index, middle, and half of the ring finger, often worse at night or with specific activities.

Bone density reflects the mineral content of bones — how strong they are. Peak bone density is reached by the late 20s; gradual loss starts in the 30s and accelerates in women after menopause and in men after 70.

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. It builds and maintains bones and teeth, helps muscles contract, helps nerves send signals, and helps blood clot.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition with widespread body pain, fatigue, sleep problems, and cognitive difficulty ("fibro fog"). It is common — estimated to affect 2-4% of adults, more women than men.