Understanding arthritis

More and more Americans are diagnosed with some form of arthritis every year.  There are more than 100 forms of arthritis.  However, four forms of arthritis are most common.  They are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gouty arthritis and infectious arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is a progressive degeneration of the cartilage in a joint associated with wear and tear.  This form of arthritis is mostly associated with the aging process.  Primary osteoarthritis is the gradual degeneration of a healthy joint.  Secondary osteoarthritis is caused from an injury to joint, mechanical intolerance or congenital anomaly.  Articular cartilage cannot regenerate itself and the body replaces it with bone causing the enlargement.

Rheumatoid arthritis usually starts with the acute inflammation of the synovial membrane within a joint or the entire body.  Losing membranes causes the body to lose lining that lubricates.  In this form of arthritis, synovial lining thickens and overgrow causing pain.

Gouty arthritis primarily found in men, in the ankle and knee, and most often settles in the big toe.  Large amounts of uric acid that the body cannot dispose through urination could leads to this.  Blood carry excess and gets trapped in joints.

The infectious arthritis caused by bacterium and could cause syphilis, gonorrhea, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and typhoid.