Arthritis  covers a broad spectrum of disease. To many, the term arthritis means pain and  inflammation of the joints – but, arthritis is a much more complex medical  condition. The term arthritis comes from the Latin phrase, “arth” meaning joint  and “it is” meaning inflammation. There are over 100 illnesses associated with  the term arthritis. Arthritis can range from something as simple as tendonitis  to something as chronic as  rheumatoid  arthritis .

Three Most Common Types of Arthritis

Osteoarthritis  – the most common  type of  arthritis . This degenerative joint disease affects over 16 million  Americans. This form of arthritis is caused when the cartilage surrounding the  ends of the bones begins to degenerate and the joints are no longer cushioned.  This caused the joints to rub together and in severe cases, you can hear the  bones grating against one another. At the onset of osteoarthritis, the symptoms  are usually mild and consist of pain and stiffness of the joints. As the  disease progresses, inflammation and loss of motion can occur. In some severe  cases, deformity can occur if the grinding joints wear one side of the joint  more than the other.

Rheumatoid arthritis  – This is the  second most common  type of arthritis  and the most severe. Symptoms  usually begin appearing between the ages of 25 and 50 – however, children and  senior citizens can experience the onset of this disease. Rheumatoid arthritis  is the most common type of inflammatory arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is  considered an autoimmune disease because factors other than wear and tear of  cartilage can cause the disease and the disease can affect other organs, such  as the eyes, lungs, and heart.

Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects the joints on both sides of the  body – for instance, both hands will be affected, both wrists will be affected,  and both legs will be affected. The most common symptoms of rheumatoid  arthritis are pain, stiffness, swelling, redness of the skin, fatigue, weight  loss, and low-grade fever. Not only affecting the joints, rheumatoid arthritis  can give you an overall feeling of sickness. Rheumatoid arthritis can be a  debilitating disease, however patients can experience periods of remission in  which the symptoms disappear and they can lead a normal life.

Fibromyalgia  – This is a  type of arthritis  that does not directly affect the joints. Rather, the inflammation and pain  affect the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and soft tissues under the skin. Many  patients have tender spots under the skin that are painful when any type of  pressure is applied. The symptoms for Fibromyalgia include deep muscle pain,  fatigue, sleeplessness, and depression. Symptoms may come and go, but the  disease is long term and chronic.

Other Types of Arthritis

Anklyosing Spondylitis  – a chronic,  inflammatory disease that affects the spine. The common symptoms include lower  back pain and stiffness that lasts for more than a period of three months,  difficulty sleeping, fatigue, weight loss, and low-grade fever.

Gout  – this disease usually affects the  joints of the big toe, but can extend to the ankles, heels, knees, wrists,  fingers, and elbow. The common symptoms are tenderness, pain, redness, warmth,  and swelling of the affected joint.

Infectious Arthritis  – this type of  arthritis is caused by an infection, and can be caused by both bacterial and  viral infections. The onset of infectious arthritis is sudden and the symptoms  include swelling of the joint, soreness, warmth, leakage of tissue fluid,  fever, and chills.

Cervical arthritis  – this type of arthritis affects  the upper back and can cause pain in the neck and arms. Cervical arthritis is  caused when the cartilage protecting the discs that support the neck  deteriorate. The most common symptom of cervical arthritis is chronic neck  pain, but can include loss of balance, headaches, muscle weakness, and  stiffness.

Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis  – this  inflammatory arthritis affects children. The most common symptoms of Juvenile  Rheumatoid Arthritis are swelling, pain, and stiffness in joints. The symptoms  are usually worse in children upon waking in the morning and after a nap. There  is no known reason for the onset of arthritis in children and, unlike  rheumatoid arthritis in adults, children sometimes outgrow the disease and the  symptoms disappear.

These are just  some of the many  types of arthritis . In general terms, arthritis is any  disease that involves inflammation – swelling and pain of the joints or  muscles. If you suspect that you suffer from arthritis, you should consult your  physician to determine the  type of arthritis  and learn what treatments  are available.