Arthritis is the number one cause of disability in America. Although medical science has not yet discovered a cure, there are many ways to relieve the effects in order to live a full, healthy life.

Arthritis refers to more than 100 different diseases that affect joints and connective tissue throughout the body. It is usually chronic, meaning that it lasts a lifetime. Specific causes for arthritis are not yet known. The three most common forms are:

• Osteoarthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Rheumatoid Arthritis

Diagnosis is based on the following symptoms lasting more than two weeks:

• Joint Pain
• Joint Stiffness
• Inability to Move a Joint Normally
• Sometimes Swelling

Diagnosis and Management

Many things can be done to reduce the impact of arthritis on everyday life. The key is early diagnosis and a treatment plan tailored to your individual needs. Physicians diagnose arthritis based on the pattern of symptoms, medical history, physical exam, x-rays and lab tests.

Treatment

Most treatment programs include a combination of:

• Medication
• Exercise
• Rest
• Use of heat and cold
• Joint protection techniques
• Surgery (if necessary)

Other Types of Arthritis

• Gout
• Lupus, also called systemic lupus erythematosus
• Sceleroderma
• Ankylosing Spondylitis
  

Nearly twice as many men as women develop ankylosing spondylitis. The disease is usually more severe in men. Most often the disease begins during adolescence and early adulthood. It also tends to run in families. This type of arthritis may affect only the sacroiliac joints, which link the base of the spine to the pelvis, or it can also move up the spine, fusing together the vertebrae. In some people this causes the head to permanently bend forward. You may have breathing problems if your ribs are involved and it can move to other parts of the body as well. Ankylosing spondylitis, also called AS, is easily confused with common back problems. This confusion makes diagnosis difficult. Treatment consists of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines and physical therapy to help the spine remain as flexible as possible.

• Reiter's Syndrome

Reiter's Syndrome usually develops as a reactive arthritis after chlamydia, urethritis, shigella, salmonella or yersinia associated with diarrhea. Onset can be "acute" (sudden) with fever, and may involve many joints. Reiter's syndrome may cause long-term disability.