Types of Arthritis
Because of its broad definition, many conditions are considered forms of Arthritis. The uniting factor for all forms of Arthritis is pain in the joints. The disease also can affect other parts of the body.
Arthritis causes pain, loss of movement and sometimes swelling.
Most forms of Arthritis are degenerative or rheumatic conditions, meaning they involve some sort of inflammation. Other arthritic conditions may involve inflammation of supporting structures. Arthritis is a chronic condition that cannot be cured. Treatment focuses on alleviating pain, preventing further degeneration and maintaining or improving joint mobility.
There are over 150 types of arthritis.To see a full list check out our page of 171 Types.
Arthritis Facts –
Number of Americans with arthritis or chronic joint symptoms:
• 1985 - 35 million • 1990 - 37.9 million • 1998 - nearly 43 million (1 in 6 people)
• 2005 – 66 million (nearly 1 in 3 adults) 42.7 million have doctor-diagnosed arthritis and 23.2 million people live with chronic joint symptoms, but have not been diagnosed by a doctor
• Arthritis is one of the most prevalent chronic health problems and the nation’s leading cause of disability among Americans over age 15.
• Arthritis is second only to heart disease as a cause of work disability.
• Arthritis limits everyday activities such as walking, dressing and bathing for more than 7 million Americans.
• Arthritis results in 39 million physician visits and more than a half million hospitalizations.
• Costs to the U.S. economy totals more than $86.2 billion annually.
• Arthritis affects people in all age groups including nearly 300,000 children.
• Baby boomers are now at prime risk. More than half those affected are under age 65. • Half of those Americans with arthritis don’t think anything can be done to help them.
• Arthritis refers to more than 100 different diseases that affect areas in or around joints.
• Arthritis strikes women more often than men.
Overall Arthritis:
• Women - 25.9 million of the people with doctor-diagnosed arthritis
• Men - 16.8 million of the people with doctor-diagnosed arthritis
And also , not in any particular order as pain is pain, here are some of the more common types of Arthritis -
Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease which causes pain and loss of movement. It is the most prevalent form of arthritis and this is typically characterized by progressive cartilage deterioration in synovial joints and vertebrae and often called "wear and tear” arthritis Osteoarthritis affects one in eight people between the ages of 18 to 79. This type affects more women than men according to the Arthritis Foundation. As we grow older, parts of our body wear out. This is true of cartilage, the shock absorber that covers the ends of the bones. Osteoarthritis develops when cartilage wears out and bone rubs against bone. Cartilage contains fluid and elastic tissue and reduces friction as the joints move. Most often the weight-bearing joints, such as the hips, knees and spine are affected by OsteoArthritis. A specific joint injury or other joint disease may cause OsteoArthritis but it is often just general wear and tear on the joints.In the long term loss of mobility may occur. The outlook for the disease depends mainly on which joints are affected and how serious it is. Even though, there is no known cure, if you start early you can start to live a life more fully. A possible link between selenium levels and knee osteoarthritis was discovered for the first time and results were recently presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology.
Rheumatoid Arthritis: Rheumatoid Arthritis is characterized by inflammatory changes in joints and related structures. This disease is an autoimmune disease in which the joint lining becomes inflamed as part of the body’s immune system activity. Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most serious and disabling types, affecting mostly women. It is the most common form of inflammatory Arthritis, affecting about 2-3 million Americans. Most often it appears between the ages of 25 and 50 but it can occur in children and seniors. It usually involves the same joints on both sides of the body. Most commonly the joints of the fingers, wrists, arms and legs are affected and swelling, pain and stiffness are typically present. Rheumatoid Arthritis may also affect the heart, lungs and eyes of some people, and cause an overall feeling of sickness and fatigue as well as weight loss and fever. Not only are the joints affected with this disease. Surrounding muscles, tendons, and tissues may also become inflamed and reduce your mobility. You may have a squishy feeling when you push down on a joint. This is the fluid in the joint capsule and it causes pressure on the cartilage that is surrounding and protecting the bones. As an autoimmune disease, this means that the body tissue is the victim of an immune response against itself. The exact cause is unknown. Severe stress may also play a role. Free radicals are found in higher numbers in an inflamed joint but not in normal ones. One of the most powerful antioxidants is Vitamin C and it is effective in reducing free radicals. Research from the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases reveals that vitamin C may prevent the development of rheumatoid arthritis. Those who had the lowest levels of vitamin C had three times the risk of developing inflammatory arthritis. Fruits and vegetables were protective, but intake of vitamin C was the most important factor.
Ankylosing spondylitis: Ankylosing spondylitis, is a type of arthritis that affects the spine. As a result of inflammation, the bones of the spine grow together. This form of Arthritis is inheritable and even though it is related to Rheumatoid Arthritis, it is a separate disease. This particular type of Rheumatoid Arthritis attacks the tendons, ligaments, and fibrous joint capsule around the spine. As the disease progresses, these normally soft tissues in the sacroiliac and intervertebral joints ossify. . . As the ossification progresses, the vertebral bodies fuse together, turning the spine into a rigid piece of bone. . . The stiffened spine may make it impossible for a sufferer to stand erect or to look straight ahead. An x-ray of an affected spine has the appearance of a bamboo pole; thus this condition often is described as "bamboo spine.". This disease mostly affects young men between the late teens and age 30. While treatment cannot halt the course of Ankylosing spondylitis, specially prescribed exercise regimens can allow the patient to retain as much of an upright posture as possible.
Psoriatic Arthritis: Psoriatic Arthritis is related to the skin condition of Psoriasis. It causes pain and swelling in some joints and scaly skin patches on any place on the body. About 20-30% of the people who have Psoriasis will develop this type of Arthritis. Psoriasis is a rough, scaly patch type of rash that commonly appears on the scalp, elbows and knees, even with some the toes, fingernails and/or eyes. Or on any other area of the body. The patches can crack and bleed, become infected and very itchy. For some people it seems to run through other members of the family. Psoriasis is not contagious and its cause unknown. Although some experts believe that having a weakened immune system will put you at risk. Cuts, scrapes and insect bites are known causes for flare-ups. As well as eating certain foods. It is helpful to keep a Diary of known Triggers and Allergies.
Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis: Juvenile arthritis, a general term for all types of arthritis that occur in children. Children may develop juvenile rheumatoid arthritis or childhood forms of lupus, ankylosing spondylitis or other types of arthritis although is it not clear why children develop this. Juvenile Arthritis is different from Adult Arthritis in two ways: Children with Arthritis sometimes outgrow the illness and it tends to be difficult to diagnose as the regular tests are unreliable for children. Although children develop many of the same types of Arthritis as adults the most common is Rheumatoid. Most affected children will recover by adulthood. Although it can affect the bone development in the child. Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis is not considered hereditary and rarely affects more than one member in the family. The most common symptoms are joint pain, swelling, stiffness in a.m. or after a nap. It commonly affects the knees, joints in the hands and feet. A child may have several flare ups and the symptoms may then disappear never to return. Earlier studies have shown that patients suffering from juvenile arthritis have reduced serum concentrations of Antioxidants compared with healthy controls which could be explained by a low dietary intake. Patients benefited from dietary supplements of nutrients when the dietary intake did not reach the recommended dietary allowances.
Systemic lupus: Lupus ( Systemic lupus erythematosus) is a serious disorder that can inflame and damage joints and other connective tissues throughout the body. It affects both the internal organs and the skin and is thought to be due to an auto immune reaction to sunlight, infection, or other unknown causes.
Fibromyalgia: Fibromyalgia, in which widespread pain affects the muscles and attachments to the bone. 90% of the sufferers are mostly women over the age of 40. People with Fibromyalgia suffer debilitating fatigue and widespread pain that lasts for years. Fibromyalgia is the most common Arthritis related disease other than Osteoarthritis. Many of the symptoms of Fibromyalgia are similar to other types of Arthritis.
Gout: Gout is a chronic type of Inflammatory Arthritis that causes immediate attacks of pain, tenderness, redness, warmth, and swelling in some joints. This painful condition most often attacks small joints, especially the big toe but gout can also affect the instep, ankles, heels, knees, wrists, fingers and elbows. The disease is often inherited and accounts for about 5% of all cases of arthritis. Gout results from a build-up in the body of too much uric acid, which forms crystals that deposit in joints and cause inflammation. Uric acid is a substance that normally forms when the body breaks down waste products called purines. Gout can also happen as a complication of another condition. Gout will affect more men than women between the ages of 30-60 and is usually the result of a defect in body chemistry. Fortunately, Gout almost always can be completely controlled with medication and changes in diet.
Pseudogout: On the surface Pseudogout is similar to other forms of Arthritis such as Gout and Rheumatoid Arthritis. And it is often associated with other joint disorders, particularly Osteoarthritis. Even though with Pseudogout the cause is not well understood it has some unique characteristics which affect how it is managed. Pseudogout is thought to be related to abnormal Thyroid or parathyroid gland function. It is also considered to be a disease that people inherit. This condition primarily affects the elderly and usually has no known cause. However, it can sometimes affect younger patients who have other health conditions. Although the cause of pseudogout in cartilage is unknown, attacks may be triggered by surgery, infection or injury. Individuals with pseudogout often have relatives who have also had pseudogout. Pseudogout results from abnormal formation of calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) crystals in the cartilage of joints. CPP crystals may be then deposited into the joint fluid causing sudden inflammation and pain in the joint. This is a reaction similar to gout when uric acid crystals build up in the joints. Over time, calcium crystals also get into the cartilage causing similar to Osteoarthritis. The type of problem pseudogout causes depends on which joints are involved and where in the joint the calcium crystals are deposited. Pseudogout usually affects the knees, ankles, wrists or a combination of these joints. The inflammatory reaction makes the involved joints red, hot, swollen and painful. It can also be mistaken for Rheumatoid Arthritis or an infection.
Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis is a condition of decreased bone density as a result of excess loss of calcium in the bones. When a bone has lost calcium it becomes very fragile and fractures occur. Women over the age of 40 and after the onset of menopause are at a greater risk of developing Osteoporosis. Oestrogen helps bone retain calcium but after menopause the body does not produce as much. Men are affected by Osteoporosis but in smaller numbers. One reason for that is that men have more total bone mass. Normal aging results in some Osteoporosis in both sexes.
Reiter’s Syndrome: Reiter’s Syndrome (Reactive Arthritis) is a form of Arthritis commonly affecting the joints of the spine and the sacroiliac joints causing pain, swelling, redness, and heat in the joints. Reiter’s syndrome is a disorder that causes three seemingly unrelated symptoms: arthritis, redness of the eyes, urinary tract signs and ulceration of skin and mouth. Doctors sometimes refer to Reiter’s syndrome as a seronegative spondyloarthropathy because it is one of a group of disorders that cause inflammation throughout the body, particularly in parts of the spine and at other joints where tendons attach to bones. (Examples of other seronegative spondyloarthropathies include psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and inflammatory bowel syndrome arthritis.) Inflammation is a characteristic reaction of tissues to injury or disease and is marked by four signs: swelling, redness, heat, and pain. It can also affect many other parts of the body such as arms and legs. The condition may also result in discharge from the urethra (the tube which empties the bladder), urinary frequency, conjunctivitis of the eyes, weight loss, and a rash. The syndrome primarily affects young Caucasian men between the ages of 20 and 40. It can also occur in older people or children. African-Americans and women can get the disease, but it is a rare occurrence. The direct cause of Reiter’s Syndrome is not known. However, both genetic and environmental factors are involved. Most cases follow venereal infection or an infection of the intestinal tract caused by organisms such as amoeba, bacteria or salmonella. Reiter’s is common in patients infected with HIV and usually precedes or follows the onset of AIDS.
Disclaimer: This article is not meant to replace consultation with trained health care professionals. The publisher and author are not responsible for any adverse consequences of effects resulting from the use of any of the information or suggestions contained in this article. All research has been done in good faith, using recognized sources.
