The following describes the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of arthritis. For specific information regarding your health and treatment options, please contact your Hurley physician or medical professional.

What is arthritis?

What is commonly known as arthritis includes a number of specific conditions that may present similar symptoms but which stem from a number of different causes. Arthritis may affect a specific joint or elbow, or its effects may be experienced throughout the body.

There are many different types of arthritis

The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which is also known as degenerative joint disease. Osteoarthritis can occur in any joint and is the result of cartilage becoming stiff or wearing away. In some cases, osteoarthritis may be the result of injury to a joint.

Another form of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder that results in painful swelling and stiffness in the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis may also affect other tissues such as the skin, eyes, lungs, heart or nerves.

Other forms of arthritis are related to specific disease states, such as psoriatic arthritis, which can arise in connection with psoriasis, or reactive arthritis, which can occur as a reaction to an infection. While arthritis is more common in adults, children under the age of 16 can experience juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). Unlike arthritis in adults, which is typically a chronic condition, children tend to outgrow JRA (although the condition may have lasting effects on bone development in a growing child).