While often referred to as if it were a single disease, arthritis is actually an umbrella term used for a group of more than 100 medical conditions that collectively affect nearly 70 million adults and 300,000 children in America alone. While the most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis (OA), is most prevalent in people over 60, arthritis in its various forms can start as early as infancy. Some forms affect people in their young-adult years as they are beginning careers and families and still others start during the peak career and child-rearing years.
The common thread among these 100-plus conditions is that they all affect the musculoskeletal system and specifically the joints, where two or more bones meet. Arthritis-related joint problems include pain, stiffness, inflammation and damage to joint cartilage (the tough, smooth tissue that covers the ends of the bones, enabling them to glide against one another) and surrounding structures. Such damage can lead to joint weakness, instability and visible deformities that, depending on the location of joint involvement, can interfere with basic daily tasks such as walking, climbing stairs, using a computer keyboard, cutting your food and brushing your teeth.
For many people with arthritis, however, joint involvement is not the extent of the problem. Many forms of arthritis are classified as systemic, meaning they can affect the whole body. In these diseases, arthritis can cause damage to virtually any bodily organ or system, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, blood vessels and skin. Arthritis-related conditions primarily affect the muscles and the bones.
This chronic illness can cause great pain. Many people with arthritis can be treated with pain medications, lifestyle modifications and sometimes medicines to prevent disease progression, depending on the type and severity of their symptoms.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes the body's natural defense system to attack the joint.
Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune disease that occurs in approximately 20% of people who have (or will develop) a skin problem called psoriasis.
Gout is a kind of arthritis caused by too much uric acid in the blood, which forms hard crystals in your joints.