What are the different types of arthritis?

What are the different types of arthritis?

Arthritis is a broad term that describes more than 100 different joint conditions. The most common types of arthritis include:

• Osteoarthritis, or “wear and tear” arthritis, which develops when joint cartilage breaks down from repeated stress. It’s the most common form of arthritis.
• Ankylosing spondylitis, or arthritis of the spine (usually your lower back).
• Juvenile arthritis (JA), a disorder where the immune system attacks the tissue around joints. JA typically affects children 16 or younger.
• Gout, a disease that causes hard crystals of uric acid to form in your joints.
• Psoriatic arthritis, joint inflammation that develops in people with psoriasis (autoimmune disorder that causes skin irritation).
• Rheumatoid arthritis, a disease that causes the immune system to attack synovial membranes in your joints.