Arthritis actually means joint inflammation. There are more than 100 types of arthritis; the two most common are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. We can help you with these, as well as other joint conditions, including osteonecrosis. This is the death of bone, which can happen in almost any bone.
All of them cause pain, stiffness and inflammation of the joints. However, arthritis doesn’t just affect the joints, it also can damage the joint’s support system, including the muscles, tendons and ligaments that surround it. What’s more, it can cause a patient to suffer from fatigue, as well as depression, and can be a serious disability for many people.
Who’s at risk? More than 40 million Americans have some form of arthritis, many of whom suffer from chronic pain often associated with the disease. Although arthritis is mainly a disease of adults, children also may have it. And it affects women nearly three times as often as men.
Most arthritis results from years of accumulated “wear and tear” on joints, and tends to occur in the elderly in hips, knees, and finger joints. Other risk factors are obesity, a history of trauma, and various genetic and metabolic diseases.
New treatments can ease the pain of rheumatoid arthritis.
Common Symptoms of Arthritis
Joint pain and/or swelling
Early morning stiffness
Warmth around a joint
Redness of the skin around a joint
Inability to move the joint
Unexplained weight loss, fever or weakness that occurs with joint pain
