Inflammatory Arthritis

The word arthritis literally means "inflammation of the joint", and so by its very nature, arthritis is an inflammatory disease. However in different types of arthritis, the reason that the inflammatory cells are drawn to the joint can differ. In osteoarthritis, for example, wear and tear on the joint causes the body to react, sending in inflammatory cells to cushion the damage and aid in its repair. This can be caused by sports or lifestyle behavior affecting the involved joints.

In contract, in rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory cell invade an otherwise healthy joint, and cause it to become damaged. This second form of arthritis is what is referred to as "inflammatory arthritis". This can be extremely painful and commonly affects the fingers and hands.

There are three major types of inflammatory arthritis: rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and lupus. These conditions all feature an abnormal reaction of the body’s own immune system causing infiltration of inflammatory cells to joints of the body, leading to chronic pain, stiffness and swelling.

Treatment is generally through a combination of anti-inflammatory agents, often administered at the site of inflammation, plus a structured diet and exercise regime designed to promote the body’s natural healing capabilities and keep the joints functioning optimally in spite of the disease.

Unfortunately there is no cure for inflammatory arthritis, at present and affected patients will face a life-long of managing their condition. This does not mean that relief is not available - please speak to your doctor about relief options which will assist you in living a relatively pain free life with inflammatory arthritis.