Arthritis Australia and run community seminars. Arthritis is an umbrella term for more than 100 medical conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system, specifically joints where two or more bones meet. The three most significant – osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout – account for more than 95 per cent of cases in Australia. The most common forms of arthritis are: Arthritis-related problems include pain, stiffness, inflammation and damage to joint cartilage (the tissue that covers the ends of bones, enabling them to move against each another) and surrounding structures. This can result in joint weakness, instability and deformities that can interfere with the
Inflammatory arthritis Inflammatory arthritis Inflammatory arthritis is a group of diseases which includes: rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthropathy, inflammatory bowel disease, adult-onset Still's disease, scleroderma, juvenile idiopathic arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Symptoms of inflammatory arthritis include stiffness, pain, and swelling of the joints, restricted motions, and reduced physical strength. Other symptoms may include systemic complaints including fatigue. Treatments for inflammatory arthritis vary by subtype, though they may include drugs like DMARDs (disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs) and tumor necrosis factor inhibitors. Inflammatory arthritis can be disabling to the point where people with the diseases can lose their jobs, which can cause psychological distress.