What is arthritis?

Arthritis is a joint disorder featuring inflammation. A joint is an area of the body where two different bones meet. A joint functions to move the body parts connected by its bones. Arthritis literally means inflammation of one or more joints. Arthritis is frequently accompanied by joint pain. Joint pain is referred to as arthralgia.

A normal joint and a Rheumatoid arthritis

The causes of arthritis depend on the form of arthritis. Causes include injury (leading to osteoarthritis), abnormal metabolism (such as gout and pseudogout), inheritance, infections, and for unclear reasons (such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus).
Arthritis is classified as one of the rheumatic diseases. These are conditions that are different individual illnesses, with differing features, treatments, complications, and prognosis. They are similar in that they have a tendency to affect the joints, muscles, ligaments, cartilage, tendons, and many have the potential to affect internal body areas.

Osteoarthritis

Symptoms of arthritis include pain and limited function of joints. Inflammation of the joints from arthritis is characterized by joint stiffness, swelling, redness, and warm. Tenderness of the inflamed joint can be present.

Many of the forms of arthritis, because they are rheumatic diseases, can involve symptoms affecting various organs of the body that do not directly involve the joints. Therefore, symptoms in some patients with arthritis can also include nonspecific fever, weight loss, fatigue, and feeling unwell.

Arthritis News

Treatment Of Psoriatic Arthritis - Humira (Adalimumab) Approved In Europe

"Until today, the options for patients and physicians seeking an effective medication to treat both the joint and skin aspects of psoriatic arthritis were limited," said Serge Steinfeld, M.D...

Smoking doubles risk of severe arthritis

It's a well known fact that cigarette smoking increases the risk of lung cancer and heart disease. More evidence now exists which adds rheumatoid arthritis to the list of diseases linked to smok...

Specialist care delayed for women with arthritis

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women with early rheumatoid arthritis are referred to a rheumatologist later than men, new research shows. Early referral for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been established...