About Arthritis

Arthritis affects nearly one of every six people in this country making it one of the most common diseases in the United States. It can affect people of all ages, but it occurs most often as a person gets older. In many forms of arthritis, women are more commonly affected than men. Arthritis causes pain, stiffness, and swelling in or around your joints and is usually chronic, meaning that it lasts a long time; for many people, it may not go away.

Although arthritis is thought of as a single disease, there are over 100 different types of arthritis currently known. It is important to find out from your doctor if you have arthritis and what type it is to determine the treatment that will help you the most.

Exactly what is arthritis and how do I know if I have it?
The word arthritis means inflammation of a joint. However, the term is generally used to describe a number of problems affecting the joints and surrounding tissues. The various types of arthritis can have a different effect on one or more parts of the joint. To better understand your arthritis, you should first learn about the structures and functions within a normal joint.

Your joints are the parts of the body where bones meet, such as your knees or your knuckles. The ends of the bones are covered by cartilage, a spongy material that acts as a shock absorber to keep the bones from rubbing together. The joint is enclosed in a capsule and lined with a tissue called synovium. The synovium produces a slippery fluid that acts like a lubricant and helps the joint move smoothly and easily. Muscles, tendons, and ligaments all attach to and strengthen the joint both at rest and with activity.