Arthritis - Causes

Chronic body aches and pain can be torturous and debilitating. For some, there is only so much pain they can handle. However, for Cheryl Trent, pain was part of her life for over a decade. Here is how she was able to get her life back.

Are aches your constant companion? You re not alone. Learn more about coping with chronic pain.

Rheumatoid arthritis doesn't define this funny guy. Learn how Matt is continuing to follow his dreams.

Simply defined, scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine. Here's how the condition is treated.

Some research suggests that leaky gut syndrome, or increased intestinal permeability, is implicated in dozens of diseases including arthritis. Could your diet be to blame?

Rheumatoid arthritis can increase your chances of infection, especially if you're taking certain medications. Here's how to protect yourself.

A neurotransmitter known as Substance P may hold the key to unlocking the mystery of arthritis pain.

The discovery of gene MCF2L gives credence to the belief that osteoarthritis has a genetic basis.

Curb your sweet tooth, and you just may notice an improvement in your symptoms.

How long in the hospital? How long until recovered? How do they actually replace a knee? Get straightforward answers to these and other questions.

Some pain is to be expected, but some of the best doctor advice on how to handle it will come as a surprise.

It's important to know arthritis can strike at any age because early treatment is key.

You look well. What are the challenges when you feel anything but on the inside?

Is that burning, tingling, pain and numbness in your hands carpal tunnel syndrome? Your doctor can put it to the test.

The rigors of daily living make the occasional ache commonplace. But when have you crossed the line to chronic pain?

Here's your rundown of common causes, including which ones are serious and which are just nuisances.

Patients have a significantly higher risk of heart attack following joint replacement surgery. Take steps to protect yourself.

This medication can be a blessing and a curse. Here's how to tell if you, or a loved one, have crossed the line into addiction.

How could this therapy help you manage your worst pain symptoms?

If you have ongoing back pain, OMT offers a holistic approach to pain relief that addresses a variety of physical conditions.

Learn about the most common forms of arthritis, from causes and symptoms to treatment.

Painkillers are powerful medicines, but with them come the real risk of abuse. Understand the myths and determine how to use painkillers safely.

Bringing a pet into your home is a big commitment, but it can come with serious rewards including a potential reduction of your pain.

Understanding how the disease works can help you better manage your symptoms and identify potential triggers.

If you live with chronic pain, you may need painkilling medications to help you make it through the day-to-day grind. However, if you rely too heavily on over-the-counter (OTC) medications, you may run the risk of developing long term and potentially deadly health risks.

One of the biggest worries for rheumatoid arthritis sufferers, aside from the symptoms, is the heightened risk of cancer. What do these two conditions have in common, and what causes the increased risk?

Typically when you have muscle pain it's equated to soreness from working out or maybe an injury. But what most don't consider is how muscle pain is often associated with chronic health conditions.

Patients who experience joint, bone, and muscle pain really know what it means to be "under the weather." Many patients experience increased pain and stiffness during cold weather. But is there anything you can do about it? Read on to find out.

Losing that excess weight and becoming active can reduce and even eliminate your pain. But how can you safely get started? Our plan will get you exercising at almost any weight and with nearly any condition.

Foods from the nightshade plant family contain compounds called alkaloids which some health professionals believe can contribute to joint pain, stiffness, and inflammation.

There seems to be an overlap between allergies and a variety of chronic illnesses and researchers are trying to explore why. See what connections have been identified so far.

New studies find that the power of positive thinking applies to how well pain medication works.

What does it mean when your joints get puffy and sore? If you've had an injury or accident, you know what caused it. But what if it comes out of nowhere? Here, our list for what causes unexplained joint inflammation.

Temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ, is a jaw disorder that at its most basic may cause minor pain and at its most involved may include myriad overlapping conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.

Rheumatoid arthritis can wreak havoc on many parts of the body, including the skin. This can take the form of rheumatoid nodules, bumpy growths under the skin that usually occur near an arthritic joint.

Arthritis of the foot and ankle can be particularly frustrating because it may hinder your ability to get around.

Arthritis of the foot and ankle can be particularly frustrating because it may hinder your ability to get around.

Lyme disease has gotten a lot of press for its rising numbers over the past couple of decades. But what many people don't realize is that if left undiagnosed and untreated, it can lead to serious problems such as arthritis.

This condition is the result of damage to the intestinal lining, which allows larger-than-normal particles such as undigested food, microbes, wastes, and toxins to get into the lymphatic system or bloodstream, triggering an immune response that causes inflammation.

Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia are generally acknowledged to be two separate conditions, but some experts now believe they're actually part of the same underlying disorder.

Did you know that joint wear and tear, also known as osteoarthritis, may be the cause of some head pain?

Ankylosing spondylitis is an arthritic condition affecting the joints that connect the spinal bones and those that hold the pelvis and spine together.

In people with autoimmune disease, the immune system malfunctions and the body mistakenly attacks its own cells, causing a host of symptoms.

This condition occurs when a person's white blood cells damage the glands that produce moisture throughout the body. Dry eyes and mouth are typical symptoms, but the disease can trigger serious malfunctions in major organs.

Poor sleep and chronic pain often go hand-in-hand. While there are a variety of treatments to help you through the night, could Cognitive Behavioral Therapy be the best bet? Find out here.

Are your fingers and toes often cold, even when the rest of you is warm? If so, you could have a condition known as Raynaud's disease, in which there's an interruption of blood flow to specific areas of the body.

How do you know if you have degenerative disc disease? If you have low back pain, are in your thirties or forties, and are otherwise healthy, you're a typical sufferer.

When we think of arthritis, we almost always think of the joints. After all, that tends to be the most common and obvious manifestation of this disease. But did you know that certain types of rheumatoid arthritis can affect your eyes?

Although there are more than 100 kinds of arthritis that can affect all parts of the body, the majority of cases include just a handful of varieties.

If you experience deep, painful aches, you may wonder if it could stem from allergies in some way, although it's possible for them to co-occur, experts say that joint pain and allergies are usually not related.

Joint pain may seem to naturally result from purely physical ailments such as arthritis, but there's significant evidence that joint pain can be caused or exacerbated by mental distress.

Why do some people get arthritis of the thumb and how can you manage this condition?

DISH occurs when the ligaments that attach to the spine harden, often causing pain and discomfort in the affected areas.

Researchers believe they ve discovered one of the triggers of arthritis.

Learn all about this type of arthritis, from causes to symptoms to treatments.

A more than 50-year study of moose living on an unpopulated island may provide clear clues about why some people develop osteoarthritis and others don't.

As if anger and sadness weren't tough enough, new studies indicate they may be even tougher on women with chronic pain, particularly fibromyalgia.

Why does growing older go hand in hand with osteoarthritis? Where does the disease usually manifest itself? Here, get honest answers to four questions surrounding the disease.

Yes, say experts. Cartilage covers the bones in a joint, serving as a shock absorber and allowing the joint to move smoothly. But when the cartilage is damaged, the body tries to compensate for the loss and osteoarthritis can occur.

While cracking your knuckles may be irksome to those around you, can it actually go as far as to up your chances of developing arthritis?

Fibromyalgia affects about one out of 50 people, with women much more susceptible than men. The main symptom of fibromyalgia is a widespread dull ache affecting multiple spots on the body, typically muscular in nature. Here, learn more about this condition.

Millions of Americans live with constant pain. But what if pain suddenly gets worse, your pain medication wears off too soon or you do something that aggravates your pain condition? That s called breakthrough pain.

As if there weren't enough reasons to keep yourself at a healthy weight, researchers now say that being obese is a risk factor for fibromyalgia.

Recently, many people have taken up running in order to improve their endurance and get fit. But what about all that pavement pounding? It's bound to have some ramifications, right?

For decades, rheumatoid arthritis numbers were on the decline. But the downward trend that could be seen in this country for roughly 40 years leveled off in the 90s, and now researchers have identified an uptick in white women.

One of the markers of bodily inflammation is a blood protein known as C-reactive protein. Basically, the higher your level of C-reactive protein, the more inflammation there is somewhere in your body.

Don't let misconceptions about joint pain prevent you from doing the things you love or making sound health decisions.

Many of the foods that you eat may be making your pain worse. Knowing what foods to avoid and what other dietary changes you can make to eliminate your pain could be the key to changing the quality of your life.

Hemochromatosis, a form of iron overload, could be linked to your arthritis symptoms.

Athletes seem to be getting older and older, but while their hearts may be benefiting, their joints could be at risk.

When you think of arthritis, you probably think of common joints such as the knees, elbows or fingers. What you may not know is that you can have arthritis in some strange places.

Arthritis sufferers have enough to worry about. However, research shows that those with RA may be at an increased risk for developing lymphoma.

Have you noticed that your arthritis pain becomes worse in certain weather conditions? If so, you re not alone and it s not all in your head. There is an association between temperature, humidity and barometric pressure and joint pain.

Have you or a loved one survived a life-threatening disease? Are you currently struggling with depression, chronic pain, heart disease, or other health-related condition? Have you gone to extraordinary lengths to help someone in a health crisis? If so, we want to hear from you!

When pain is a part of your everyday life, it may be hard to differentiate between normal soreness and pain. Read on to find out how.

Are your symptoms related to an arthritis flare, or the flu? How to tell.

Fever is one of the many symptoms that can occur in rheumatoid arthritis. Learn why it may happen and ways you can treat it.

Having rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes can be an autoimmune double whammy.

What does arthritis have to do with bone loss? Find out here.

Find out how your mouth can affect your arthritis.

Here, how reproductive capabilities can affect your diagnosis of this common condition.

Other illnesses have similar symptoms to fibromyalgia, which can lead to misdiagnosis and treatment. Learn how to tell the difference.

Trouble sleeping decreases overall quality of life in patients with chronic pain and diseases and can even aggravate disease symptoms.

If you have arthritis, you may be apprehensive about exercising your upper body for fear of hurting yourself or causing pain. Relax. Exercising is actually beneficial.

An overview of the most common causes of penis pain and treatment.

Medications used to treat arthritis are very effective, but can cause adverse reactions. Find out how to fight common side effects of arthritis drugs.

Information and tips about rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy.

The news could be hard to swallow. Here, what to expect after a diagnosis of RA.

The low-down on how obesity and overweight affect rheumatoid arthritis.

Every day scientists are coming closer to understanding the role genetics play in the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Read on to find out the truth behind six common myths.

Information and coping tips for parents and caregivers

Learn how those cocktails can make your arthritis worse and safer ways to drink

Can changing how you eat help ease arthritis symptoms? The jury is out.

Hip pain is an increasingly common phenomenon that tends to occur with age. Find out what causes hip pain and what you can do about it.