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Arthritis is a general term for over 100 different types of chronic health conditions that affect joints, surrounding tissues,
and other connective tissues such as ligaments and tendons. These types of diseases and conditions are also known as rheumatic
conditions. The more commonly known types of arthritis are:
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Osteoarthritis
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Rheumatoid arthritis
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Lyme disease
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Scleroderma
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Gout
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Ankylosing spondylitis
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Systemic lupus erythematosus
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Fibromyalgia
100 Types of Arthritis-PDF 29.7 Kb
This document lists the diseases and conditions that are associated with arthritis.
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A chronic health condition is a persistent or recurring disease that can be treated, but not cured completely. Chronic health
conditions are often caused by behaviors such as smoking, unhealthy diet, and lack of physical activity. Examples include
arthritis, asthma, cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS.
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Talk to your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms.
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Swelling in one or more joints
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Morning stiffness lasting 30 minutes or longer
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Joint pain or tenderness that is constant or that comes and goes
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Not being able to move a joint in the normal way
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Redness or warmth in a joint
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Weight loss, fever, or weakness and joint pain that cannot be explained
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the United States.
Early diagnosis and appropriate management of arthritis, which can include participation in self-management and physical activity programs
can minimize the impact of arthritis. Self-management and physical activity programs can help people with arthritis decrease pain,
improve function, stay productive, and lower healthcare costs. To minimize the impact of arthritis, the CDC recommends the following:
Learn Arthritis Self-Management Strategies
Learning techniques to reduce pain and limitations can be beneficial to people with arthritis. Self-management education can help
you develop the skills and confidence to manage your arthritis. Read about the
self-management programs the Arthritis Prevention and Education
Program promotes.
Be Active
Research has shown that physical activity decreases pain, improves function, and delays disability. Make sure you get at least 30 minutes
of moderate intensity physical activity at least 5 days a week. You can get activity in 10-minute intervals. Read about the
physical activity programs the Arthritis Prevention and Education
Program promotes.
Watch Your Weight
The risk of developing arthritis increases with body weight. Research suggests that maintaining a healthy weight reduces the risk of
developing arthritis and may slow disease progression. A loss of just 11 pounds can decrease the
occurrence (incidence) of new knee osteoarthritis.
See Your Doctor
Although there is no cure for most types of arthritis, early diagnosis and appropriate management is important, especially for inflammatory
types of arthritis. For example, early use of disease-modifying drugs can affect the course of rheumatoid arthritis. If you have symptoms
of arthritis, see your doctor and begin appropriate management of your condition.
Protect Your Joints
Join injury can lead to osteoarthritis. People who experience sports or occupational injuries or have jobs with repetitive motions like
repeated knee bending have more osteoarthritis. Avoid join injury to reduce your risk
of developing osteoarthritis.
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*Please Note: The documents on this webpage are in Portable Document Format (PDF). You may need
Adobe Acrobat Reader
to view or print them.
