Types Of Arthritis

Identifying Different Types of Arthritis

There are over 100 different types of arthritis. The most common one is Osteo Arthritis, sometimes called Degenerative Arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Other types of arthritis include bursitis, fibromyalgia, gout, lupus, psoriatic arthritis, and tendonitis. Let's briefly explore these types of arthritis.

Bursitis: Bursae are like sacs filled with fluids providing cushioning for moving parts of the body. Irritation and infected fluid by bacteria cause pains. Most likely causes are bacterial infections, trauma and injuries. This disease affects the ankles, buttocks, knees, elbows, hips and thighs.

Fibromyalgia: 4 million Americans, mostly females, are affected by this disease which causes muscle pains and stiffness. Other symptoms are fatigue, insomnia, and depression. One theory is that a low level of the pain reducing chemical called serotonin is the cause for the disorder. Another theory states that it is due to a continuous lack of sleep.

Gout: this disorder seems to occur when body is incapable of handing uric acid. Uric acids gather up in the joints causing red, hot, swollen joints. African Americans have a high ratio of having gout. The causes of gout are trauma, starvation, overindulgence of alcohol and medication.

As you can see, there are many different types of arthritis. They have different, but somewhat similar causes, symptoms and treatments. You can find out more about other types of arthritis by visiting the sites below. They provide very detailed information about the types of arthritis.

And be sure to check out our pages about What Is Arthritis, , Arthritis Relief, and elsewhere on this site.