Arthritis

Arthritis (from Greek arthro-, joint + -itis, inflammation; plural: arthritides) is a group of conditions where there is damage caused to the joints of the body. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in people over the age of 55. There are many different forms of arthritis, each of which has a different cause. Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis are autoimmune diseases in which the body is attacking itself. Septic arthritis is caused by joint infection. Gouty arthritis is caused by deposition of uric acid crystals in the joint that results in subsequent inflammation. Additionally, there is a less common form of gout that is caused by the formation of rhomboidal shaped crystals of calcium pyrophosphate. This form of gout is known as pseudogout. The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative joint disease and occurs following trauma to the joint, following an infection of the joint or simply as a result of aging. There is emerging evidence that abnormal anatomy may contribute to early development of osteoarthritis.

Primary forms of arthritis:

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Septic arthritis
• Gout and pseudogout
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
• Still's disease
• Ankylosing spondylitis

Secondary to other diseases:

• Lupus erythematosus
• Henoch-Schönlein purpura
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Reactive arthritis
• Haemochromatosis
• Hepatitis
• Wegener's granulomatosis (and many other vasculitis syndromes)
• Lyme disease
• Familial Mediterranean fever
• Hyperimmunoglobulinemia D with recurrent fever
• TNF receptor associated periodic syndrome
• Inflammatory bowel disease (Including Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis)

Diseases that can mimic arthritis include:

• Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy
• Multiple myeloma
• Osteoporosis
• Fifth disease

Source: Wikipedia