Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disease, affecting more women than men, which causes inflammation of the joints, such as those in the wrists, ankles and feet, and often problems elsewhere in the body. It can appear at any age and varies in severity from person to person. Those suffering from it generally endure more pain when the affected joints have been immobile for a period of time.
Osteoarthritis
Your chances of suffering from osteoarthritis increase with age and while there appears to be a genetic link – you are more likely to be affected if other members of your family are – the exact cause as yet remains unknown. The disease causes the cartilage between the joints to wear away, causing pain as your bones grate against one another.
Gout
Gout is caused by a build up of uric acid within the synovial fluid which surrounds your joints, resulting in inflammation and often severe pain. Again, the exact cause has yet to be discovered. The most commonly affected joint is the big toe. Some people have acute attacks which come on suddenly and disappear in a few days, others suffer from chronic gout.
Bursitis
Normally affecting the hips, knees, elbows or shoulders, bursitis is a disease of the bursae – the cavities near joints where muscles or tendons pass over the bone. Its causes include infection, injury and rheumatoid arthritis.
