Inflammation found in one or more joints in the body which are a form of a disorder in joints is called Arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common of all kinds. It is caused as a result of age, trauma to the joint or an infection in the joint.

Arthritis is not considered as a ‘single disease’ but is an informal way of referring to a joint disease or joint pain. Over 100 different types of arthritis and its related conditions exist around the globe. People of all races, ages and sexes have arthritis and is one of the leading disability in America. More than 300,000 children and about 50 million adults have different kinds of arthritis. Arthritis occurs when people get older and is most seen in women.

The symptoms of arthritis include pain, swelling, decrease the range of motion and stiffness and they can be mild, moderate or severe. They can stay for years and may get worse as time goes. Severe arthritis can make it difficult for you to climb stairs and can result in chronic pain and inability to perform daily activities. Permanent joint changes can be caused by arthritis. In some cases, these joint changes will be visible like the knobby finger joints and the damages will be clear only on X- Rays. Few other types of arthritis can affect the eyes, heart, lungs, skin, kidney and the joints.

Classification
Joint pain is actually primary in several and is considered as the main feature. A person suffering from arthritis will have any one of the following diseases. These include Still’s disease, Ankylosing spondylitis, Gout and Pseudogout, osteoarthritis, Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Septic arthritis, and Rheumatoid arthritis.
Arthritis can also be considered as the secondary to the main disease where joint pain is the symptom. These diseases include Psoriatic arthritis, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Hepatitis, Reactive arthritis, Celiac disease, Lyme disease, Haemochromatosis, Whipple’s disease, and Sarcoidosis.

Symptoms and signs
Pain is a common symptom which is found in all types of arthritis. Joint stiffness, swelling and aching around the joints are other symptoms associated with this disease. Rheumatoid arthritis and Lupus are some of the arthritic disorders which would affect the organs of the body and therefore will lead to a variety of symptoms. These include
• Fatigue and Malaise
• Tenderness
• Difficulty in using the hand or walking.
• Poor sleep
• Difficulty in moving the joint
• Weight loss and
• Stiffness

Secondary effects caused by advanced arthritis include Loss of flexibility, muscle weakness, and a decrease in aerobic fitness.

Treatment
The cure has never been found for osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid. However, treatment options include Physical therapy, medications, orthopedic bracing and lifestyle changes.
• Physical therapy- Studies has proved that physical movement or exercise will give a great relief to the affected people. More than that, exercise can increase the health of a particular joint and overall body of a person.
• Medications- It depends on the type of arthritis a person is suffering from. For instance; ibuprofen which is an anti-inflammatory drug is given to a person suffering from inflammatory arthritis.
• Surgery- Arthroscopic surgery, especially for the knee, will provide no additional benefit to the optimized medical and physical therapy.