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What is arthritis?

Arthritis, or "joint inflammation," is a general term for a group of more than 100 diseases. Arthritis is inflammation (swelling) in and around the bodys joints. (A joint is a point at which two or more bones come together, such as the hip or the knee.)

Inflammation is one of the body's natural responses to disease or injury. Inflammation can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling, as well as loss of movement in some patients. Some types of arthritis include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and gout.

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Arthritis limits everyday activities such as walking, dressing, and bathing. In the United States, one in five adults (52.5 million) reports having arthritis that has been diagnosed by a doctor.

Arthritis is the leading cause of disability among Americans aged 15 and older. However, arthritis affects people in all age groups, including almost 300,000 children.

Other statistics about arthritis:

The causes of most types of arthritis are not known. Scientists are studying how three major factors may play a role in certain types of arthritis:

Although the exact causes of arthritis might not be known, there are several risk factors. A risk factor is a something that increases a person's chance of developing a disease or condition. Risk factors for arthritis include:

The pain of arthritis might be caused by different things, including inflammation of the synovial membrane (tissue that lines the joints), tendons, or ligaments; muscle strain; and fatigue. A combination of these factors can have an effect on how strong the pain is.

The pain of arthritis can be very different for each person. Things that contribute to the pain include the amount of damage and swelling within the joint.

Different types of arthritis have different symptoms, which can be mild in some people and very strong in others. Osteoarthritis usually does not cause any symptoms outside the joint.

Symptoms of other types of arthritis might include fatigue (feeling tired), fever, a rash, and the signs of joint inflammation, including:

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Arthritis | Cleveland Clinic

This entry was posted on September 26, 2018 at 11:41 am and is filed under Arthritis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |