Types of Arthritis

How to identify the different types of arthritis

People frequently believe that any of the aches and pains associated with old age are the result of one of the different types of arthritis. However, that's not necessarily true. Although aging and arthritis do tend to go together, some elderly people never get arthritis and the disease begins in childhood for other people.

There are over 100 different types of arthritis. One of the ways to differentiate the different types of arthritis is to separate the types into categories based on whether they affect only one joint or area of the body (localized conditions) or many joints and organs over the entire body (generalized conditions).

The three primary types of arthritis that affect localized areas are tendinitis, bursitis and osteo arthritis. Tendinitis affects the fibrous cords, tendons, that attach muscles to bone and bursitis affects the fluid-filled sacs, bursa, that provide cushion between the tendon and muscle or muscle and bone. These conditions can be temporary or chronic. The chronic forms are considered to be types of arthritis. The third type, Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease where the cartilage that covers the ends of bones in the joint deteriorates, causing pain and loss of movement as bone begins to rub against bone. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis.

The second category of types of arthritis are those that affect the body in a generalized way. These types of arthritis can be further subdivided into two groups. The first subgroup includes those diseases that cause soft tissue and muscle pain but do not include inflammation. The most common disease in this category is fibromyalgia. In addition to muscle aches, its symptoms include fatigue, insomnia, and depression.

The second subgroup of types of arthritis includes conditions in which inflammation affects the entire body, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis 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. Other conditions in this subgroup include gout, ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis, generalized conditions of inflammation throughout the body in which joint pain is the major symptom.

Treatments differ for these different types of arthritis so it is very important to be sure that your symptoms are fully evaluated and diagnosed properly.