Arthritis is the name given to a group of diseases that cause pain in the joints of the body. Arthritis in general, is a disorder of the joints. In fact, the word arthritis is of Greek origin, which means inflammation of a joint. In these diseases the connecting tissues of the joints get inflammed. Sometimes it can even cripple a patient.
Although arthritis is more common in old age, it can occur to a person of any age. As per the available data the disease attacks twice as many women as men. It is not restricted to human beings only. It may even attack the animals. Today scientists have sufficient evidence to prove that dinosaurs suffered from arthritis. It may be caused by inflammation or infection in the joints.
Sometimes it is a symptom of another disease. There are various forms of this disease but the exact cause of most kinds of arthritis is not yet known. Some types of arthritis are caused by injuries or by high content of some special chemicals in the body. It may also be caused by the wearing a way of cartilage in old age or by an allergic reaction involving joint tissues.
A new form of arthritis has been discovered which is believed to be caused by a virus. It spreads among human beings by a bite from an insect, known as tick.
In this disease joints get swollen and crooked. The patient feels pain and finds it difficult to move. There is no absolute cure for arthritis, although it is usually treated by aspirin-type drugs to reduce pain and swelling. Physiotherapy has also been found very helpful in its treatment. Vigorous massage and transmission of sound waves into the body is also very effective in curing this disabling disease.
The treatment of arthritis varies according to the stage of the disease in the patient at the time of medical check-up.
In preliminary stages the treatment is directed towards the relief of symptoms, improvement in general health and performance of some physical exercises. In some kinds of arthritis, diseased joints can be replaced with artificial ones.