Most people would be surprised to find there are literally hundreds of different types of arthritis. There is a list at the bottom of this article. This list may or may not be comprehensive.

Of this exhaustive list, the most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis is the more severe of the two. The body’s immune system begins to destroy joint tissues.

Common Types

Osteoarthritis, is the more common form, and generally attacks the weight bearing joints by degrading joint cartilage. Overuse of a particular joint, and obesity can lead to osteoarthritis.

Recent research suggests that arthritis may be a bacterial infection immune to antibiotics.

Arthritis is often misunderstood

Arthritis is not just aches and pains from aging. It can onset at any age, even during the younger years. Some forms of arthritis can improve without treatment. Rheumatoid arthritis, on the other hand affects both the joints and possibly the internal organs.

Even though there are over one hundred types of arthritis, there are categories of the disease. 1) localized conditions (one joint) or 2) generalized conditions (many joints)

Localized conditions include two subgroups. 1) soft-tissue, localized conditions, and 2) conditions that affect one or a few joints, such as a single knee or hip.

Generalized conditions also can be divided into two subgroups. 1) widespread muscle and soft tissue discomfort with no evidence of swelling or inflammation, i.e. fibromyalgia, and 2) inflammations which affect the entire body, i.e.  rheumatoid arthritis.

Various types of arthritis and rheumatic diseases are the most common chronic health condition in the population, affecting about one in every three adult Americans and nearly 300,000 children.

New drugs and treatments, exercise programs, surgeries and self-management are the current methods most common to treat arthritis.

Arthritis affects the musculoskeletal system including the joints. Symptoms include stiffness, inflammation, pain and damage to joint cartilage.

Over time, arthritic inflammation can kill cartilage faster than the body can manufacture it. Malnutrition and injury can encourage this.

source(http://homefitnessbody.com/blog/understanding-arthritis/)

With all the different types of arthritis, if you are feeling any aches and pains that cannot be explained, you should consult your doctor. This article is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or health care professional. Always consult your health care professional about any medical condition.

(source:http://arthritis.about.com/od/diseasesandconditions/Types_of_Arthritis_Rheumatic_Diseases_Related_Conditions.htm)

Lupus, Lyme Disease, Adult Onset Still’s Disease, Marfan Syndrome, Ankylosing Spondylitis, MCTD / UCTD, Mycotic Arthritis, Osgood-Schlatter Disease, Osteitis Deformans, Aseptic Necrosis, Osteoarthritis, Avascular Necrosis, Osteonecrosis, Basal Joint Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Behcet’s Disease, Bursitis, Paget’s Disease of Bone, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Palindromic Rheumatism, Celiac Disease, Polyarteritis Nodosa, CMC Arthritis, Polymyalgia Rheumatica, Complex Regional Pain, Polymyositis, Costochondritis, Pseudogout, CPPD, Psoriatic Arthritis, Crohn’s Disease, Raynaud’s Phenomenon, Degenerative Joint Disease, Reactive Arthritis, Dermatomyositis, Reflex Sympathetic, Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal, Reiter’s Syndrome, Discoid Lupus Erythematosus, Restless Legs Syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Rheumatic Fever, Eosinophilic Fasciitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Felty Syndrome, Scleroderma, Fibromyalgia, Septic Arthritis, Fifth Disease,  Sjogren’s Syndrome, Forestier Disease, Somatotroph Adenoma, Fungal Arthritis, Spinal Stenosis, Gaucher Disease, Takayasu Arteritis, Giant Cell Arteritis, Temporal Arteritis, Gonococcal Arthritis, Tendinitis / Tendonitis, Gout, Tietze’s Syndrome, Henoch-Schonlein Purpura, TMJ / TMD, Infectious Arthritis, Tuberculous Arthritis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Joint Hypermobility, Vasculitis, Juvenile Arthritis, Viral Arthritis, Kawasaki Disease, Wegener’s Granulomatosis and Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease.

(source:http://arthritis.about.com/od/diseasesandconditions/Types_of_Arthritis_Rheumatic_Diseases_Related_Conditions.htm)