What is Arthritis?

Arthritis is the general term given to a number of painful and debilitating conditions affecting the joints and bones. It is actually made up of two Greek words: athro - meaning joints; and itis - meaning inflammation. There are over 100 different types of arthritis. Although arthritis is normally associated with people in the "baby boomer" category and older, it can affect people at any age, even children. When this happens to children it is called Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, although it is much less common than Osteoarthritis or Rheumatoid Arthritis. Gout is another rheumatic condition frequently associated with arthritis. There are some forms of arthritis are inherited, but most are not. By and far the most prevalent types of arthritis are Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Wherever our bones meet anatomically, there is also cartilage, an elastic, protective layer that ensures your joints bend smoothly, effortlessly and painlessly. But cartilage cannot do this tremendous job alone. A thin membrane called the "synovium" provides fluid that lubricates the moving parts of the joint. When the cartilage wears out due to constant inflammation, an overactive immune system, overuse or just repetitive motion over time, the synovium becomes inflamed; the result is generally a case of either "osteoarthritis" or "rheumatoid arthritis" the two most common types of arthritis.

Common Symptoms

The most common symptoms of arthritis are pain, inflammation and stiffness in particular joints. For Rheumatoid Arthritis, this is most commonly noticed upon arising in the morning. Osteoarthritis is usually noticed later in the day, and some stiffness can be alleviated by simply moving the joint through a smooth range of motion. There may also be some restrictive movement of the affected joints along with some swelling and redness over the joints in many cases. It can become tender to the touch and should be handled with care until you begin a course of treatment. The specific symptoms again will depend upon what type of arthritis you're actually suffering from although the vast majority of types of arthritis all include problems created by the pain, inflammation and swelling of joints.

Common Causes

The exact cause of arthritis is not fully known at this point, however, we are well aware of the factors which may contribute to arthritis: stress, obesity and jobs which require repetitive movements of a particular joint socket. This includes clerical workers, computer programmers, warehouse people, and sports people. For example football players tend to develop arthritis in their knees and ankles as a consequence of injuries sustained to these parts. There is evidence however, that suggests that physically active people who are not injured have a lower risk of arthritis. Some studies have suggested that gout may sometimes be a contributing factor to causing arthritis.s.