Did you know?
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The term arthritis (“arthro” meaning joint, “itis” meaning inflammation) is used to refer to more than 100 related conditions.
More than 10 per cent of Canadian adults are affected by OA, which is the most prevalent type of arthritis. More...
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Have you signed up yet?
The Arthritis Society provides several informational events and programs to help you manage your arthritis. Choose your province to find an event near you.
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Medical Advisory Committee
The information in this section has been developed in collaboration with The Arthritis Society's Medical Advisory Committee.
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Arthritis consists of more than a 100 different conditions
Arthritis consists of more than 100 different condition which range from relatively mild forms of tendinitis and bursitis to crippling systemic forms, such as rheumatoid arthritis. It includes pain syndromes such as fibromyalgia and arthritis-related disorders, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, that involve every part of the body. Other forms of the disease, such as gout, are almost never thought of as arthritis, while osteoarthritis is often thought to be the only form of this disease.
Joint pain is the most common denominator
The common denominator for all of these conditions is joint and musculoskeletal pain, which is why they are grouped together as 'arthritis.' Often this pain is a result of inflammation of the joint lining. Inflammation is involved in many forms of arthritis and is the body's natural response to injury. The warning signs presented by inflammation are redness, swelling, heat and pain. When a joint becomes inflamed, it may get any or all of these symptoms. This can prevent the normal use of the joint and therefore it can cause the loss of function of that joint.
Arthritis can affect anyone
Arthritis can affect babies and children, as well as people in the prime of their lives. Nearly three of every five people with arthritis are of working age (under 65).
treating arthritis
Establishing an early diagnosis is critical to the outcome of the disease, since it only gets progressively worse and therapies work best when started as early as possible.