Arthritis

The Arthritis topic includes research on the causes, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of arthritis, including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthritis is joint inflammation that can cause stiffness or pain. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, is a degenerative joint disease that occurs more frequently in older people. Cartilage and other tissues in the joint begin to break down, although researchers are still determining what triggers this degeneration. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks its own tissues. Women are more likely to experience rheumatoid arthritis than men; in addition, there may be a genetic component to the disease.