Arthritis

Overview

If you feel pain and stiffness in your body or have trouble moving around, you might have arthritis. Most kinds of arthritis cause pain and swelling in your joints. Joints are places where two bones meet, such as your elbow or knee. Over time, a swollen joint can become severely damaged. Some kinds of arthritis can also cause problems in your organs, such as your eyes or skin.

One type of arthritis, osteoarthritis, is often related to aging or to an injury. Other types occur when your immune system, which normally protects your body from infection, attacks your body's own tissues. Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common form of this kind of arthritis. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a form of the disease that happens in children. Infectious arthritis is an infection that has spread from another part of the body to the joint.

Source: MedlinePlus

Note: This topic was prepared to help consumers find reliable health resources on the web. This site is not responsible for the information on other sites. The information here — and on all websites — is not intended to be a substitute for care given to you by a health professional.

Recommended Reading

Arthritis Foundation

This site provides information about arthritis, its symptoms and details about specific forms of arthritis, including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. It also provides resources including information on conventional medical treatment as well as alternative and natural therapies.

Arthritis, MedlinePlus

This site, also available in Spanish, provides a comprehensive selection of topics and links regarding arthritis, including diagnosis/symptoms, latest news, alternative treatments, research, disease management, specific conditions, nutrition, journal articles, genetics, statistics, children and seniors, dictionary/glossary and related issues.

Arthritis Health Center, WebMD

This site provides a host of information about the many forms of arthritis, how to prevent arthritis, blogs and discussions, patient support, pain management and more.

Arthritis, Mayo Clinic

The Mayo Clinic provides information on the signs and symptoms, causes, screening and diagnosis, complications, treatment, how to seek medical advice, self-care and coping skills for several different forms of arthritis. Information on some forms of the disease includes complementary and alternative medicine.

Local Resources

Colorado Office, Arthritis Foundation

This site provides information about events, news, programs and services, advocacy, diseases, volunteer opportunities and more for arthritis patients and their loved ones.

Poudre River Public Library District

Search the library collection for books about arthritis, or use the library's health, sciences and technology databases.

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