What causes arthritis?

In order to better understand what is going on when a person suffers from some form of arthritis, let us look at how a joint works. Basically, a joint is where one bone moves on another bone. Ligaments hold the two bones together. The ligaments are like elastic bands, while they keep the bones in place your muscles relax or contract to make the joint move. Cartilage covers the bone surface to stop the two bones from rubbing directly against each other. The covering of cartilage allows the joint to work smoothly and painlessly.

​A capsule surrounds the joint. The space within the joint – the joint cavity – has synovial fluid. Synovial fluid nourishes the joint and the cartilage. The synovial fluid is produced by the synovium (synovial membrane) which lines the joint cavity.

​If you have arthritis something has gone wrong with the joint(s). What goes wrong depends on what type of arthritis you have. It could be that the cartilage is wearing away, a lack of fluid, autoimmunity (your body attacking itself), infection, or a combination of many factors.

What is Arthritis?

The word Arthritis comes from the Greek ‘Arthron’ meaning “joint” and the Latin ‘itis’ meaning “inflammation.” The plural of Arthritis is Arthritides. Arthritis affects the musculoskeletal system, specifically the joints. It is the main cause of disability among people over fifty-five years of age in industrialized countries.

​Arthritis is not a single disease – it is a term that covers over 100 medical conditions. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and generally affects elderly patients. Some forms of arthritis can affect people at a very early age.

​Depending on the type of arthritis and symptoms present, our providers will prescribe an appropriate treatment and plan for each patient.

Types of Arthritis

There are over 100 types of arthritis. Here are descriptions of some common ones, together with the causes:

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