Arthritis

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Arthritis is a general medical term used to describe a disorder in which the smooth cartilagenous layer that lines a joint is lost, resulting in bone grinding on bone during joint movement. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, swelling, and decreased range of motion of the affected joints. In certain types of arthritis, other organs, such as the skin, are also affected. Onset can be gradual or sudden. There are several types of arthritis. The most common forms are osteoarthritis (most commonly seen in weight-bearing joints) and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis usually occurs as a person ages and often affects the hips, knees, shoulders, and fingers. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that often affects the hands and feet. Other types of arthritis include gout, lupus, spondyloarthritis, and septic arthritis. These are inflammatory based types of rheumatic disease. Early treatment for arthritis commonly includes resting...

Read on Wikipedia · Image James Heilman, MD, CC BY-SA 3.0