What is arthritis?
Arthritis is a common condition that causes pain and inflammation in a joint.
In the UK, more than 10 million people have arthritis or other, similar conditions that affect the joints.
Arthritis affects people of all ages, including children.
Causes
Common causes of arthritis include:
- wear and tear of cartilage in joints
- metabolic abnormalities- there is imbalance of many chemical substances in the body
- infection (bacterial or vral)
- autoimmune disease- the body mistakenly fights its own cells
- injury.
Risk factors include:
- family history
- obesity
- age - increases with age
- gender - women are more likely to develop arthritis.