Types of Arthritis and Know About Their Major Symptoms

Arthritis literally means joint inflammation. Arthritis is not a single disease. Arthritis refers to a group of more than 100 rheumatic diseases and other conditions that can cause pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common serious inflammatory form of arthritis. It affects roughly 1 per cent of the population and is the prototypical autoimmune form of arthritis. Because it may do most of its damage in the first year, early diagnosis and aggressive therapy is critical. Left untreated RA may shorten life expectancy by as much as 18 years! Reiter's syndrome is a combination of urethritis, conjunctivitis, and arthritis.

The arthritis affects the spine and peripheral joints. The disease occurs most commonly in young male adults, and the first attack usually lasts only a matter of weeks or months.
Although Reiter's syndrome is not considered a venereal disease, it appears to result from infection, and sexual exposure to an infectious agent often seems to be the cause.

Gouty arthritis is a condition that is caused by the accumulation of crystals made of urate within the joint. The urate crystals are formed by an unusual breakdown of a normal body substance. Accumulations of urate within a joint causes gouty arthritis. The most commonly affected joints are the big toe and the knee.

Reactive arthritis

This is a temporary inflammation of the joints as a reaction to an infection elsewhere in the body - for example, in the bowel. There may be a delay before the beginning of the arthritis, which usually clears up by itself.

Juvenile rhuematoid arthritis is a chronic condition that causes inflammation in one or more joints and begins before the age of 16. It is the most common type of arthritis in children. Symptoms include pain, stiffness, swelling, and loss of function in the joints. The arthritis may be associated with rashes or fevers, and it may affect other parts of the body.

Fibromyalgia is a common condition. However it can get severe enough to start intruding into your day to day life. Fibromyalgia literally means, fibrous tissues (fibro-) and the muscles (-my-) being affected by pain (-algia). In this disease the whole body feels affected since the tendons and the ligaments both get affected. Fibromyalgia in fact affects the muscles and not the joints at all. Also, this form of arthritis never causes permanent damage to tissues though the symptoms may last for months or years.

Ankylosing Spondylitis: This is a chronic disease and highly inflammatory, mainly affecting the spine. It can lead to the fusing of the vertebrae resulting in a rigid spine. One of the most common symptoms is low back pain, along with stiffness, which continues for several months. Usually this type of arthritis affects men in the age range of 16-35, though women can also be affected