| Arthritis covers a broad spectrum of disease. To | | | | pain affect the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and soft |
| many, the term arthritis means pain and inflammation | | | | tissues under the skin. Many patients have tender |
| of the joints - but, arthritis is a much more complex | | | | spots under the skin that are painful when any type of |
| medical condition. The term arthritis comes from the | | | | pressure is applied. The symptoms for Fibromyalgia |
| Latin phrase, “arth” meaning joint and “it is” | | | | include deep muscle pain, fatigue, sleeplessness, and |
| meaning inflammation. There are over 100 illnesses | | | | depression. Symptoms may come and go, but the |
| associated with the term arthritis. Arthritis can range | | | | disease is long term and chronic. |
| from something as simple as tendonitis to something | | | | Other Types of Arthritis |
| as chronic as rheumatoid arthritis. | | | | - Anklyosing Spondylitis - a chronic, inflammatory |
| Three Most Common Types of Arthritis | | | | disease that affects the spine. The common |
| - Osteoarthritis - the most common type of arthritis. | | | | symptoms include lower back pain and stiffness that |
| This degenerative joint disease affects over 16 million | | | | lasts for more than a period of three months, difficulty |
| Americans. This form of arthritis is caused when the | | | | sleeping, fatigue, weight loss, and low-grade fever. |
| cartilage surrounding the ends of the bones begins to | | | | - Gout - this disease usually affects the joints of the |
| degenerate and the joints are no longer cushioned. | | | | big toe, but can extend to the ankles, heels, knees, |
| This caused the joints to rub together and in severe | | | | wrists, fingers, and elbow. The common symptoms are |
| cases, you can hear the bones grating against one | | | | tenderness, pain, redness, warmth, and swelling of the |
| another. At the onset of osteoarthritis, the symptoms | | | | affected joint. |
| are usually mild and consist of pain and stiffness of the | | | | - Infectious Arthritis - this type of arthritis is caused by |
| joints. As the disease progresses, inflammation and | | | | an infection, and can be caused by both bacterial and |
| loss of motion can occur. In some severe cases, | | | | viral infections. The onset of infectious arthritis is |
| deformity can occur if the grinding joints wear one side | | | | sudden and the symptoms include swelling of the joint, |
| of the joint more than the other. | | | | soreness, warmth, leakage of tissue fluid, fever, and |
| - Rheumatoid arthritis - This is the second most | | | | chills. |
| common type of arthritis and the most severe. | | | | - Cervical arthritis - this type of arthritis affects the |
| Symptoms usually begin appearing between the ages | | | | upper back and can cause pain in the neck and arms. |
| of 25 and 50 - however, children and senior citizens | | | | Cervical arthritis is caused when the cartilage |
| can experience the onset of this disease. Rheumatoid | | | | protecting the discs that support the neck deteriorate. |
| arthritis is the most common type of inflammatory | | | | The most common symptom of cervical arthritis is |
| arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is considered an | | | | chronic neck pain, but can include loss of balance, |
| autoimmune disease because factors other than wear | | | | headaches, muscle weakness, and stiffness. |
| and tear of cartilage can cause the disease and the | | | | - Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis - this inflammatory |
| disease can affect other organs, such as the eyes, | | | | arthritis affects children. The most common symptoms |
| lungs, and heart. | | | | of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis are swelling, pain, and |
| Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects the joints on both | | | | stiffness in joints. The symptoms are usually worse in |
| sides of the body - for instance, both hands will be | | | | children upon waking in the morning and after a nap. |
| affected, both wrists will be affected, and both legs will | | | | There is no known reason for the onset of arthritis in |
| be affected. The most common symptoms of | | | | children and, unlike rheumatoid arthritis in adults, children |
| rheumatoid arthritis are pain, stiffness, swelling, redness | | | | sometimes outgrow the disease and the symptoms |
| of the skin, fatigue, weight loss, and low-grade fever. | | | | disappear. |
| Not only affecting the joints, rheumatoid arthritis can | | | | These are just some of the many types of arthritis. In |
| give you an overall feeling of sickness. Rheumatoid | | | | general terms, arthritis is any disease that involves |
| arthritis can be a debilitating disease, however patients | | | | inflammation - swelling and pain of the joints or |
| can experience periods of remission in which the | | | | muscles. If you suspect that you suffer from arthritis, |
| symptoms disappear and they can lead a normal life. | | | | you should consult your physician to determine the |
| - Fibromyalgia - This is a type of arthritis that does not | | | | type of arthritis and learn what treatments are |
| directly affect the joints. Rather, the inflammation and | | | | available. |