Arthritis refers to a group of diseases related to the swelling or inflammation of the body joints, the locations where two bones meet. The inflammation can cause stiffness and induce pain. Some patients can even lose their movement due to this. In America, this condition affects more than 300,000 children and 50 million adults.

Forms of arthritis
There are more than 100 types of arthritis and other conditions related to it. Only after determining the type of arthritis, your healthcare professional can proceed to recommend the ideal treatment strategy. Here, you can read about the five major types of arthritis.

• Osteoarthritis
  Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. Typically it comes with age and affects the joints that bear weight, such as knees, feet, spine, and hips. Injuries in the joints and obesity can also result in osteoarthritis. In this condition, the cartilage gets damaged gradually over months and years. Cartilage is a cushioning material on both ends of bones that absorbs the pressure and shocks. While making any movement, the worn-away cartilages cause pain by rubbing the roughened surfaces. Doctors cannot restore the damaged cartilages; however, osteoarthritis symptoms can be managed with various treatment methods.
• Rheumatoid arthritis
  Rheumatoid arthritis is a common variant of arthritis. This chronic autoimmune disease attacks the joints and other parts of your body, including the heart, lungs, skin, and blood vessels. In rheumatoid arthritis, body chemicals such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-1 trigger the immune system to attack the lining of your joints resulting in painful inflammation. The usual places it affects include elbows, knuckles, or heels. Medicines that block the above-mentioned body chemicals can help prevent further damage caused by rheumatoid arthritis.
• Psoriatic arthritis
  Psoriatic arthritis is usually diagnosed in people with psoriasis, a skin condition where red patches with silvery scale appear on the skin. Only 10% to 30 % of the patients with psoriasis develop the joint condition. Ranging from mild to severe, this type of arthritis can affect any part of your body, including your knee, spine, and fingertips. Although there is no cure for this arthritis, you can manage the symptoms with treatment.
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
  In children under the age of 16, juvenile idiopathic arthritis is the most prevalent type of arthritis. Children with this disease experience persistent joint pain, stiffness, swelling, fatigue, and fever. Ultimately, this type of arthritis can erode the bones, misalign the joints, and change the child’s growth pattern.

• Gout
  Gout occurs when uric acid crystals build up in a joint, causing an attack with intense pain, inflammation, and redness. The attack can happen in the middle of the night, and it lasts between three to ten days. Usually, gout affects the joints of the toes, ankles, knees, and wrists. Despite being a complex form of arthritis, gout is common. Treatment of gout involves the prevention of future gout attacks.

All of these types of arthritis can be managed through treatment; however, if left untreated, any of these conditions can cause significant damages to your mobility.