Common Types of Arthritis

Common types of arthritis are caused from inflamed tissues.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that affects a large majority of people over the age of 70.  Many symptoms for this disease manifest during the fifth and sixth decade of life.  The exact cause of osteoarthritis is still unknown but some researchers believe that it is caused from compounded problems with digestion, which inevitably manifest later in life.


Rheumatoid arthritis usually occurs in women between 30 and 70 years of age.  The early symptoms include fatigue, weakness, joint pain and stiffness.  Affected joints are usually inflamed and the range of motion in those joints is often limited.  This type of arthritis usually progresses causing joint deformity.  Research has found heat therapy, weight control, and exercise to be helpful at reducing inflammation as well as the use of aspirin-type products and Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs.



Gout is an inflammatory condition that affects the joints, tendons, and other tissues of the body.  It is most commonly manifest in the joint of the big toe.  Diet is usually the cause of this inflammation.  A build up of uric acid in the body can cause urate crystals to form.  These crystals can form into urate calculi stones that may appear in the tissues of earlobes, elbows, hands and at the base of the large toe.  A person suffering with gout should increase fluid intake and avoid foods high in purines, such as wine, meats, salmon, seafood and gravy.