"Arthritis is the number one cause of physical disability.
Arthritis is a disease that causes stiffness, pain, and swelling in the joints. Arthritic conditions are different from person to person in the how long the pain lasts, how severe it is, and how it affects the person, sometimes depending on the type of Arthritis. In order to explain in depth how one is diagnosed with Arthritis it is necessary that one understands the interior bone structure and the terminology. Joints serve as cushions for the bones and prevent bones from rubbing against each other. Joints are mode up of smooth elastic tissue called cartilage and are surrounded by a casting called the joint capsule. The joint capsule is lined up with Synovial membrane. It gives off synovial fluid, which is a liquid that fills the joint cavity and it also helps reduce friction between the bones. In most Arthritis cases this cushion like tissue is damaged or in the process of damaging thus causing pain. Our bones look like a tight net of strands. They are formed by a protein called collagen and hardened by calcium salts and other minerals. The net is filled with bone marrow and blood vessels, and protected by a dense outer shell. Scattered in this are millions of living bone cells. These cells are constantly breaking down and being built into new bone cells. By statistics our bones are completely new every 10 years. According to the National Arthritis foundation, Arthritis affects 16% of Americans. It can affect all sexes (in some cases one more than other), races, all geographic areas, and all people regardless of their social or economical conditions. There are over 100 different types of arthritis, each of which has different causes and effects.
One of the most common form of Arthritis is Osteoporosis. This is a disease that causes bones to lose mass and break easily. It can result in spinal deformity, chronic pain, and loss of mobility, disability and premature death.