There are many different types of arthritic diseases. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, most types of arthritis cause joint pain, swelling and damage, and some even cause organ problems, such as skin and eye damage. The NIH notes that certain types of arthritis may be related to aging or injury, and that other types may be caused by autoimmune conditions.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a type of arthritic disease. According to MayoClinic.com, rheumatoid arthritis is "a chronic inflammatory disorder that typically affects the small joints in your hands and feet." Rheumatoid arthritis targets a person's joint linings, and it causes a painful swelling that can lead to degenerative changes in bones and joints. The Mayo Clinic website notes that rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder, which is a condition that occurs when a person's own immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues. Along with localized joint pain, rheumatoid arthritis, which is two to three times more common in women than men, can cause fevers and fatigue. Rheumatoid arthritis typically occurs in people between the ages of 40 and 60, and while there's no cure for the disease, there are numerous treatment options to help relieve rheumatoid arthritis-related symptomatic health complaints.
Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis is a type of arthritis disease. The National Psoriasis Foundation states that psoriatic arthritis causes "pain, stiffness and swelling in and around the joints and places where tendons and ligaments connect to bone," and that without appropriate intervention, psoriatic arthritis can be potentially debilitating. Psoriatic arthritis can be caused by either genetic or environmental factors, and is associated with skin psoriasis. In fact, the NFP reports that in 85 percent of people with psoriatic arthritis, skin disease preceded joint disease. Common symptoms associated with psoriatic arthritis include the following: tender and swollen joints, back pain, nail changes, morning stiffness, fatigue, decreased joint range of motion, and conjunctivitis or acute inflammation of the eye's conjunctiva. According to the NFP, there are five different types of psoriatic arthritis, including symmetric, oligoarticular, distal interphalangeal, spondylitis and arthritis mutilans.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritic disease. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease, is a progressive disease that affects a person's joints, and it involves a wearing-away of the articular cartilage that covers the ends of bones. Any joint motion that occurs along the exposed joint surface can be painful, although many people who show signs of joint degeneration on X-rays experience no joint pain at all. The AAOS states that osteoarthritis manifests after years of unbalanced joint wearing, and that it primarily affects middle-aged or elderly individuals. Osteoarthritis can develop in younger individuals, however, especially after a traumatic injury, such as a whiplash injury sustained in a motor vehicle accident. Common risk factors for osteoarthritis include the following: obesity, previous injury to the involved joint and a family history of osteoarthritis.
