AzmanJaka / Getty Images
How Are the Types of Arthritis Different?
The word “arthritis” literally means “joint inflammation.”
Inflammation causes joint pain, swelling, and stiffness and damages the affected joints over time.
AzmanJaka / Getty Images
Osteoarthritis, for example, develops due to normal wear and tear from aging or joint injury.
With some forms of arthritis, symptoms develop gradually and progressively worsen as the disease progresses.
Many types of arthritis are associated with periods when symptoms worsen, called flare-ups.
Flare-ups are common with autoimmune andinflammatory forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.
Stress, infection, diet, weather changes, and other lifestyle and environmental factors can lead to flare-ups.
Approximately 300,000 U.S. children live with JIA.
Most Painful Types of Arthritis
All arthritis types can cause pain.
Gout pain usually develops at night, affecting one joint at a timeusually the big toe.
It is often described as excruciating or throbbing pain.
The first step to getting a diagnosis is scheduling an appointment with a primary care physician.
Arthritis can affect different joints throughout the body, depending on the jot down.
Certain types of arthritis develop gradually over time, while others can cause sudden and severe pain.
See a healthcare provider if you have joint pain or swelling to discuss your symptoms and treatment options.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Arthritis basics.
2018;70(2):185-192. doi:10.1002/art.40355
Britannica.Arthritis.
Arthritis Foundation.How arthritis hurts.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Arthritis basics.
Arthritis Foundation.Rheumatoid arthritis: Symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
International Foundation for Autoimmune & Autoinflammatory Arthritis.AiArthritis diseases.
Arthritis Foundation.What triggers an arthritis flare?.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Healthy People 2030.Arthritis workgroup.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Osteoarthritis.
Xu Y, Wu Q.Prevalence trend and disparities in rheumatoid arthritis among US adults, 2005-2018.J Clin Med.
2021;10(15):3289. doi:10.3390/jcm10153289
National Kidney Foundation.Quick facts: Gout and chronic kidney disease.
National Psoriasis Foundation.Psoriasis statistics.
2023;82(12):1558-1567. doi:10.1136/ard-2023-224434
Arthritis Foundation.Juvenile arthritis.
Arthritis Foundation.Can I have both psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis?.
Arthritis Foundation.Do I have arthritis?.
