Arthritis is the name for a fairly large group of conditions involving joint damage and pain. There are many different causes of arthritis. In addition to the many types of arthritis, the condition may appear as a secondary symptom to a variety of diseases, including familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), hemochromatosis, Henoch-Schoenlein purpura, hyperimmunoglobulinemia D with recurrent fever (HIDS), inflammatory bowel disease, lupus erythematosus, Lyme disease, TNF receptor associated periodic syndrome (TRAPS), and vasculitis. Arthritis may also appear as an autoimmune reaction to an infection elsewhere in the body.
Osteoarthritis:
Osteoarthritis (OA), also called degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease, is usually caused by trauma, although there is some evidence of a genetic factor. The most common type of arthritis and the leading cause of chronic disability in the United States, osteoarthritis can also be caused by joint infection. In addition, the risk of osteoarthritis increases with age.
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