Arthritis

Overview

Arthritis is a common disorder that affects your joints and can cause pain, swelling, and stiffness, making it difficult to move or stay active. Arthritis isn’t a single condition. There are several different types. It usually involves inflammation or degeneration (breakdown) of your joints. It can affect people of all ages – even children and teenagers.

Some forms of arthritis are more common in older people.

If you have pain in or around one or more than one joint that doesn’t go away after a few days, you should see a doctor.

What is a joint?

A joint is where two or more bones meet, such as in the fingers, knees, and shoulders. Joints hold bones in place and allow them to move freely within limits.

Joints get cushioned and supported by soft tissues that prevent your bones from rubbing against each other. A connective tissue called articular cartilage plays a key role. It helps your joints move smoothly without friction or pain.

Types of Arthritis

There are several types of arthritis. There are some similarities between these conditions, but also some key differences.

  • Osteoarthritis, or “wear and tear” arthritis, develops when joint cartilage breaks down from repeated stress. It’s the most common form of arthritis.
  • Ankylosing spondylitis, also called arthritis of the spine. It causes pain and swelling, mainly around the joints of the spine.
  • Juvenile arthritis (JA), If someone is diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis before their sixteenth birthday, it’s called juvenile idiopathic arthritis, where the immune system attacks the tissue around joints.
  • Gout, a disease that causes hard crystals of uric acid to form in your joints. Joints affected by gout can become red and hot. The skin may also look shiny and can peel.
  • Psoriatic arthritis, joint inflammation that develops in people with psoriasis (an auto-immune disorder that causes skin irritation).
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis is a type of inflammatory arthritis. It is what is known as an auto-immune condition. It most commonly starts among people between the ages of 40 and 60. It’s more common in women than men.

Facts

  • Besides humans, animals such as dogs, cats, and others can also develop osteoarthritis. In most cases, the symptoms are the same as those of a human. It can also cause weight loss as a result of loss of appetite.
  • Statistically, women are significantly more likely to suffer from arthritis than men, except for gout. As per the Arthritis Community, Research & Evaluation Unit, women are twofold more prone to arthritis than men.
  • There is no cure for arthritis. The treatment goal is to limit pain and inflammation and preserve joint function. Treatment options include medicines, weight reduction, exercise, and surgery.

Symptoms

Lab Tests

Causes

Risk factor

Treatments