| I'll bet you don't know that there are over 100 different | | | | effective Polymyositis is inflammatory form of muscle |
| forms of arthritis; the most common being, | | | | disease is often associated with arthritis. It is very |
| osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia, in | | | | dangerous condition because it is systemic, affecting all |
| that order. In the course of this text, we will take a | | | | muscles including the heart. Very aggressive therapy is |
| brief look at some of the many other forms of arthritis | | | | warranted. Systemic lupus erythematosus is most |
| that exist. | | | | common in woman. The rate is 10 to 1 in favor of |
| Psoriatic arthritis is a seriously inflammatory and often | | | | women contracting this life-threatening form of arthritis. |
| associated with Psoriasis. Cervical arthritis affects the | | | | Reactive arthritis sees onset after infections, with |
| upper back and causes pain in the neck and arms. | | | | young adults being the most common victims. |
| Gout is a form of arthritis that usually presents in the | | | | Appropriate medical treatment is very effective. |
| great toe but can extend to the ankles, heels, knees, | | | | Frightening information, I think you'll agree. So what can |
| wrists, fingers, and elbow. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis | | | | we do? Early diagnosis is our best defense. Many |
| affects children and the symptoms are most | | | | forms of arthritis are curable and a high percentage of |
| pronounced upon awakening in the morning or after a | | | | those types that cannot be cured, can, at least, be |
| nap. Symptoms include pain, swelling and stiffness. On | | | | controlled. |
| the plus side, many children seem to outgrow it. | | | | The most common complaint of those suffering with |
| Infectious arthritis, as the name implies, is caused by | | | | arthritis is pain. The management of arthritis pain is a |
| bacterial and viral infections. Symptoms consist of joint | | | | multi-billion dollar business and as the US population |
| swelling, soreness and fever. Then there is Anklyosing | | | | ages, the costs will continue to rise. In the United |
| spondylitis, which affects the spine causing lower back | | | | States alone, arthritis results in roughly $50 billion in lost |
| pain and stiffness and is characterized by | | | | wages and $50 billion in health care costs. Arthritis |
| sleeplessness, fatigue, weight loss and fever. | | | | results in more than 1 million hospitalizations annually |
| Polymyalgia rheumatica most common in those over | | | | and fully 45 million visits to outpatient health care |
| 50 causes severe stiffness and aching in the neck, | | | | centers and clinics. |
| shoulders, and hips. This form of arthritis is very | | | | Some types of arthritis can be prevented, such as |
| treatable but an accurate diagnosis is difficult because | | | | gout and secondary osteoarthritis. These can be |
| so many other conditions look like it. Lyme disease is | | | | prevented, to a great extent, through proper diet and |
| an infectious disease transmitted by a deer tick bite. | | | | exercise. The principal cause of these types of arthritis |
| Early diagnosis and antibiotic therapy is usually | | | | is our old enemy, obesity. |