Get Information on Arthritis

In the United States, arthritis is one of the most prevalent chronic health problems and the leading cause of disability among Americans over 15 years of age. It is second only to heart disease as a cause of work disability and affects people in all age groups, including nearly 300,000 children. Arthritis actually costs the U.S. economy an excess of 128 billion dollars a year in medical costs and employee compensation.

Based on the 2006 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the prevalence of doctor-diagnosed arthritis was higher among women (28.3 million) compared with men (18.1 million).

 

The most common forms of arthritis are:

 

• Juvenile arthritis - A general term for all forms of arthritis that occur in children. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is the most common form of arthritis in children.
• Fibromyalgia - A form of arthritis in which widespread pain affects the muscles and attachments to the bone.
• Gout - A disease created by a buildup of uric acid.
• Osteoarthritis - A degenerative joint disease in which the cartilage that covers the ends of bones in the joint deteriorates, causing pain and loss of movement as bone begins to rub against bone.
• Rheumatoid arthritis - A systemic autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack the joints.
• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus) - A disorder that can inflame and damage joints and other connective tissues throughout the body.
• Ankylosing spondylitis - A type of arthritis that affects the spine.

The symptoms and causes of arthritis, as well as the treatment options vary depending on the specific form of the disease.