Arthritis – Types & Symptoms

ArthritisArthritis is the most common disease responsible for joints and body pain. Especially in patients above age of 60 years, this disease is very common, in which the patient suffers from swelling and stiffness bones with joint pain. Arthritis is also aggravated by cold weather, as lack of exercise during winters and deficiency of sunlight adds to the problem. Similarly, uric acid in body is a major cause of gout arthritis, about which we have already discussed in an earlier post ‘Uric Acid and Gout’.

Types of Arthritis: Broadly Arthritis is classified in three types, viz. Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis & Psoriatic Arthritis. But apart from these three, there are other types as well. 

  1. Osteoarthritis: It is the most common type of arthritis, caused by the general wear and tear of bones and joints with age or overuse. Cartilage present in joints, acts as shock absorber and it gets damaged with time, overuse, injury or obesity; as a result the joint bones rub together and causes pain. Normally weight bearing joints of body like knees, hips, feet, spine etc. are the most common joints affected by it. The joints become warm and swollen joints with restricted movement. Some of its symptoms are:
  • Morning stiffness,
  • Stiffness after resting
  • Trouble getting dressed
  • Aching pain
  • Pain in walking
  1. Rheumatoid Arthritis: It is an autoimmune disease i.e. immune system starts acting on body joints causing inflammation and pain. Exact reason for immune system attacking joints is still unknown and some belief after body is infected with a bacteria or virus, immune system gets confused and start attacking joints. If left untreated it can cause severe joint damage. Symptoms for Rheumatoid Arthritis can come gradually or all of a sudden and are usually more severe than osteoarthritis.
  2. Psoriatic Arthritis: In this disease, the patient suffers from both Arthritis and Psoriasis together. Disease starts with Psoriasis first, which causes patchy, raised, red and white areas of inflamed skin. Arthritis causes swelling of fingers, toes, discoloration of fingernails. People suffering from this type of arthritis often experience problem only in one joint instead of both (like only one elbow).
  3. Polymyalgia Rheumatica: In Polymyalgia the patient suffers from muscular pain and stiffness in shoulders and neck region. The symptoms show up quickly over 1-2 days and sometimes even overnight and are worst in the morning. It is common in people over 50 years of age and average age of onset is 70 years.
  4. Ankylosing Spondylitis: It is a type of Arthritis in which spine is affected with pain and stiffness starting from lower back up to the neck. The vertebrae of spine may grow in fuse together (called bony fusion) forming a rigid spine. There is constant pain and stiffness in lower back. It also leads to inflammation ligaments and tendons resulting in pain and stiffness.
  5. Reactive Arthritis: Reactive arthritis is caused by body’s reaction to a certain bacterial infection, mostly found in genitals. If arthritis is developed, within a month of diarrhea or genital infection, then most probably it is reactive arthritis. Its symptoms are
  • Pain and swelling of knees, ankles, heels, toes and fingers
  • Persistent lower back pain
  1. Gout: Gout is a type of arthritis, in which smaller joints are more adversely affected. Swelling, tenderness, redness, sharp pain in ankle, knee, feet, wrists, fingers and toe joints, is the common character of gout. It is caused by higher concentration of uric acid in blood, which leads to formation of hard crystals in joints leading to pain. (Read Uric Acid and Gout for more details).
  2. Pseudogout: It is a type of arthritis in which there is pain, stiffness, swelling and redness of joints, mostly knee or wrist. It is caused by the formation of calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) crystals in cartilage. When these CPP crystals are released into joints they cause sudden attack of arthritis, similar to gout. Most of the symptoms are temporary and goes away in 7-10 days even without treatment. Some of its symptoms are:
  • Sudden intense joint pain
  • Swelling of joints
  • Red or purple skin around joints