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Live long enough and you can pretty much count on developing arthritis: a touch of osteoarthritis, at the very least.
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What is arthritis?
Arthritis ("arth" meaning joint, "itis" meaning inflammation) isn't a one-note story or even a few variations on a single theme; it actually consists of more than 100 different conditions. These can be anything from relatively mild forms of tendinitis (as in "tennis elbow") and bursitis to crippling systemic forms, such as rheumatoid arthritis. There are pain syndromes like fibromyalgia and arthritis-related disorders, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, that involve every part of the body. There are forms of the disease, such as gout, that almost nobody connects with arthritis, and there are other conditions - like osteoarthritis, the misnamed "wear and tear" arthritis - that a good many people think is the only form of the disease.
What causes arthritis?
No one knows what causes arthritis, though scientists have uncovered a host of clues. Something can be done to manage most forms of arthritis, but it's very important that a correct diagnosis is established early. Most therapies work best when started early in the disease process.
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