The word 'arthritis' (plural = 'arthritides') comes from the Greek ('arthro' = 'joint' and 'itis' = 'inflammation'). It is really a blanket term for a group of arthritides, which includes: rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, which are both autoimmune diseases (i.e. the body is attacking itself); septic arthritis caused by (a previous) infection; gouty arthritis (often just called gout), which is caused by abrasive deposits of uric acid in the joints; pseudo gout, caused by deposits of other crystals and last and most common, osteoarthritis, which is a degenerative ailment. It can be caused by a previous infection or just aging - ordinary or excessive wear and tear.
All types of arthritis feature pain, although it may not be severe. In osteoarthritis, suffering is typically at night or after periods of rest (associated with stiffness) and with rheumatoid arthritis pain is usual in the morning. Even if pain is not severe effects of arthritis will be lack of use of the limb in children and an unwillingness to move around in older sufferers. A physical examination is usually the first step to diagnosis followed up by blood tests and or X-rays to determine the exact type of disease.
Forms of arthritis have been around since before man evolved. The remains of dinosaurs show evidence of primary ankle osteoarthritis and mummified human remains from 4,000 BC show that Europeans (Oetzi), Pharoahs and Native American Indians were all sufferers. The history of treatment is also quite old. Circa 500BC, it was discovered that ingesting willow bark provided some relief. In the 1820s, some 2,000 years later, Western scientists isolated the active compound that provided that relief and called it 'salicin'. However, they also found that salicin had some very unpleasant effects on the stomach. In 1897, an employee of the Bayer Dye Corporation, Felix Hoffman, succeeded in producing a non-irritating form of salicin in an attempt to relieve his father's arthritis. Bayer trademarked the secret and marketed it under the name of 'Aspirin' in 1899. It is estimated that more than one trillion Aspirin have been sold to date.
The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis or (osteo)arthrosis. It is estimated that 80% of Americans will show signs of it age 65, although not all will have significant pain or swelling. It is often, but not always, typified by swollen joints, which may become filled with liquid. Many sufferers report more pain in wet weather or at the approach of wet weather (humidity build-up). Ingestion of vitamins C and E may help as, to a lesser degree, may selenium, chondroitin, ginger root, glucosamine and vitamins B9 and B12. Joints may be replaced in extreme cases and after any necessary significant weight loss.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorder. It is usually worse in the mornings getting slightly better as the joints worm up (the opposite of osteoarthritis). Approximately three people per thousand develop it; often in the 40-60 age group. It is three-five times more common in women than men and more common in smokers than non-smokers. An early symptom is early morning joint stiffness lasting more than one hour.
