Arthritis Joint Pain

The Symptoms and Types of Arthritis Joint Pain

Arthritis literally means "joint inflammation" and usually consists of a set of symptoms such as redness, heat, pain, and swelling. Arthritis can strike any joint in the body, including your ankles, wrists, elbows, knees and more. Arthritis can be both a naturally occurring, genetically triggered problem or the result of a disease that degenerates the joint such as infection or gout.

However, despite the wide array of different causes for arthritis joint pain, the symptoms are always the same. They start with joint tenderness and go from there to pain, stiffness, swelling, and a loss of movement range across the board. If the inflammation is allowed to persist for long periods of time, the joint can actually begin to break down and eventually be destroyed beyond repair, requiring replacement.

The arthritis joint pain associated with the condition can also come in multiple forms with short flare ups of worse pain or longer periods of prolonged pain. The pain will often be slow and steady and increase over time in many cases as the arthritis joint pain worsens. If the pain is sudden, it is often the result of an unrelated disease or problem that should be seen to by a physician.

Osteoarthritis

The first form of arthritis is known as osteoarthritis and can be the result of the joint degenerating over time. This type of arthritis joint pain will most often occur in men and women over 65 years of age and is usually due to normal wear and tear on the joints. The joints that bear weight tend to be the biggest problem spots for this type of arthritis joint pain with the hips and knees causing the most problems. To successfully combat this type of arthritis joint pain, a regimen of joint strengthening supplements or medications should be used.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

The other most common form of arthritis joint pain comes from a condition known as rheumatoid arthritis. This disease is an autoimmune problem that will cause the body to attack itself, thinking that the joints themselves are disease.

This form of arthritis joint pain will most often strike the hands, feet, knees, wrists, ankles, and elbows. Additionally, those who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis will often be struck by the disease on both sides of their body at the same time and it can be a problem for the entire body, beyond just the joints. Symptoms can include weakness, fatigue, infections, hair loss, chest pain, and much more.