Approach To Arthritis

OVERVIEW

This page is dedicated to covering how best to approach the topic of arthritis.

The topic of arthritis is one that can become confusing. This page was created to provide a systematic approach to this broad category within medicine (source)

WHAT IS ARTHRITIS?

Fundamentally, arthritis refers to joint inflammation that often causes pain and stiffness. There are many different causes of arthritis that can fall within the following categories.

Infectious causes of arthritis:

Bacterial: septic arthritis (gonococcal and nongonococcal), Lyme disease, bacterial endocarditis.
Viral: Rubella, Hepatits B, HIV, Parvovirus
Post-infectious: reactive arthritis, rheumatic fever

Metabolic causes of arthritis:

Gout
Pseudogout (CPPD deposition)

Autoimmune causes of arthritis:

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
Psoriasis (psoriatic arthritis)

Non-inflammatory causes of arthritis:

Osteoarthritis
Trauma
Avascular necrosis

Page Updated: 09.02.2016