The word “arthritis” is often used loosely without the full understanding of what it is, in this and subsequent posts we will endeavour to shed some light on this and how it may impact on the lives of you and your loved ones.
It is acknowledged that there are up to 200 different types of arthritis which are known medically, however most people will have heard of very few of them. I will cover the more commonly known types of arthritis and will provide information regarding the symptoms and various treatment modalities that are widely available through the NHS and privately to those who are seeking relief from their symptoms.
Arthritis is a disorder that may affect more than one joint and more than one area of the body. The word “arthritis” is a Greek word which translates into “inflammation of one or more joints”, however not all of the three main categories of arthritis are inflammatory in origin;
- Non-inflammatory arthritis – such as osteoarthritis, scoliosis, torn ligaments.
- Inflammatory arthritis – such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, gout.
- Connective tissue disease – such as lupus, sclerosis, Sjogren’s syndrome.
In the coming weeks we shall provide more information relating to one from each category, namely Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis and Lupus.
