There is no one cause of arthritis. Degeneration of a joint can be the result of several factors. Regardless of the cause, the end result is the progressive destruction of the cartilage that covers our joints, which causes pain, mobility limitations and other health problems.
Trauma
Arthritis can be caused from any injury to a joint that ultimately disrupts the normal smooth surfaces that come into contact with each other. The type of arthritis is called post-traumatic arthritis. Picture a smooth porcelain plate. Now picture this plate with cracks in it or after it has been glued together after being broken. There is great similarity when it comes to this type of arthritis.
Any disruption to the normal smooth joint surfaces creates an environment of friction that perpetuates inflammation, pain and the abnormal wear and tear of the joint cartilage due to uneven surfaces. The greater the disruption, the greater the severity of the degeneration.
Examples of this type of arthritis are fractures, dislocations, penetrating wounds and severe compressive loading of the joint or crush injuries.
Infection
Septic arthritis is caused by the destruction of joint cartilage from the presence of an infection and pus. Infection in a joint can be caused by such things as direct introduction of bacteria into the joint, which is typically seen in penetrating injuries and contaminated insect bites, seeding of microorganisms from distant locations, such as abrasions or dirty cuts elsewhere on the body. In some cases where systemic infection exists, bacteria can be seeded in joints merely by the circulation of the blood.
Disease States
Hereditary diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis have been responsible for the development of arthritis. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, the body literally attacks itself because of what is called an auto-immune response. The disease process involves excessive inflammatory soft tissue that literally invades the joint, destroying the cartilage in the process.
