The 3 Main Types of Arthritis

Arthritis is a disease that most of us have heard of and many know the main symptoms of, but what many of us also don't know is that arthritis is an umbrella term for the 200 different arthritic conditions that exist. For the ease of diagnosis. research and treatment these 200 conditions are categorized into three groups; connective tissue diseases, inflammatory arthritis and non inflammatory arthritis.

Inflammatory arthritis

These types of arthritis involve the immune system and the inflammatory response that it creates in the joints. This response might come as a form of protection from perceived allergens and when the immune system is over protective such 'allergens' may actually be harmless. The most common form of inflammatory arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis; a condition that develops due to a systemic disease and worsens symmetrically (i.e. if the right knee is affected then the left one will be, too). The symptoms of inflammatory arthritis conditions most commonly occur in the morning when the joints have been at rest, as opposed to in the evening after a day of full activity.

Treatment for inflammatory arthritis does involve the usual painkillers and physiotherapy but to get to the root cause of the condition doctors will need to carry out testing to find out why the increased immune response is happening. Once they find out why it is happening or what 'allergen' is causing the problem then more effective treatment can be worked on further.

Non-Inflammatory arthritis

These are the arthritic conditions that are considered to be caused by repetitive activity and basic wearing down of the joints, as opposed to being caused by viral infection or systemic disease. Examples include osteoarthritis and scoliosis, with which the pain usually comes after carrying out repetitive tasks or at the end of the day when the joints have been doing a lot of work.

Connective tissue diseases

Sclerosis, systemic lupus and Sjogren's syndrome are all examples of connective tissue diseases. These types of arthritis cause damage to the connective tissue through similar or identical immune responses as are seen in inflammatory arthritis conditions. Once the damage is caused to the connective tissue (for example the elastin that makes up ligaments; structures responsible for holding bones together) it cannot repair itself, or may try to but grow excessively or abnormally as seen in sclerosis. Treatments for connective tissue diseases are very specific depending on what disease is in question.

While there are as many as 200 different types of arthritis, there are many more professional doctors and joint specialists who are fluent in each one and can diagnose them quickly with the help of tests and scans. If you think that you may be suffering from arthritis but aren't at all sure which one then visit your doctor who will either refer you directly to a specialist or begin treatment right away. Always remember that with arthritis, early treatment is essential for maintaining a good quality of life for as long as possible.

Source: Health Guidance