What is arthritis?
" Arthritis is a difference of many conditions that can affect the joints from early childhood until the old age. There are a number of reasons why arthritis can develop: wear and tear of the cartilage and bones in a joint; long term inflammation of the soft tissues that surround a joint; genetic predisposition; crystals accumulating in the joint; and joint infection. "
What are the main challenges to overcome?
" Those with arthritis will often have difficulties with everyday life but many can overcome. There a few reasons for the challenges: the pain and inflammation could limit what you can do; the often worsening damage to your joints can make your muscles weaker and therefore causing you to be less active; and the chronic pain just wears you down. "
What are the key characteristics of arthritis?
" There are two key characteristics that you should know about and these are joint pain and inflammation. Some people will only have the pain but most will have some form of combination of both. Joint inflammation is the most common sign of arthritis and that usually leads to swelling and tenderness. Symptoms can vary from person to person depending on the type of arthritis, extent, and severity of it. "
Is the pain common in everybody?
" No, the pain associated with arthritis is very personal and affects each person in different ways. The arthritis pain can be chronic meaning that it's present most of the time and lasts for a long time. "
