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