Arthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA), also known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease, is the most common type of arthritis.

OA can develop at any age but usually develops after the age of 45. It affects both men and women equally. Deterioration of cartilage in one or more joint is responsible for OA, leading to joint damage, pain, and stiffness.

OA commonly affects the knees, hands, feet, spine, and hips.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) usually presents between 25 and 50 years of age. Women are twice as likely as men to get RA.

RA is a progressive disorder, meaning that it gets worse over time. Symptoms include stiffness, swelling, pain and joint damage resulting from the inflammation of the joints in the body. It can also affect other body areas, including the heart, eyes, and lungs.

RA is an autoimmune disease because your body’s immune system is fighting itself.

RA may cause severe disability in some people and can be managed through medications and other treatments.

Psoriatic arthritis can occur between the ages of 20 and 50. Psoriatic arthritis usually starts as psoriasis, a condition where areas of the skin become inflamed and covered with silvery grey scales and may cause damage to fingernails. In some people, arthritis may show up first. The joints most often affected include the knees, ankles, wrists, fingers, and toes. The spine and sacroiliac joints (the joints between the spine and hips) may also be affected.

Infectious arthritis may occur at any age, causing joint inflammation (swelling and pain). A germ such as a bacterium, a virus, or a fungus causes infectious arthritis by travelling into a joint, where it causes inflammation. Usually, large joints such as hips, knees, and shoulders can also affect smaller joints of the fingers and ankles. If treated early, the symptoms are not long-lasting.