Arthritis Causes
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis means the inflammation of one or more joints. Both small and large joints can be affected. It is a painful and immobilizing disease and can occur in males and females of all ages, particularly adults, but rarely in the children. It is not true that arthritis can occur in elderly persons only.
Causes of Arthritis
Researchers have been searching for the cause of arthritis for decades but the exact cause of arthritis still remains unknown. There are many different views about it but three theories about the cause are frequently talked about. These are:
- Genetic or hereditary factors
It is likely that genetic variations can contribute but it not necessary that the cause will always have a link to genetics. Exactly how much these contribute to the cause of arthritis is not clearly known. - Immune system abnormalities or autoimmune disease
This is understood to be more likely cause of arthritis but what exactly is it, is not known or specified. - A persistent or triggering infection
Like the previous two, this cause is also a supposition. With so much advancement of medical science, this infection if it does exist, remains unknown. - Association with a particular disease
In certain cases, arthritis may be associated with a particular disease. For example, arthritis associated with psoriasis is called psoriatic arthritis.
One opinion about the cause of arthritis is that it occurs due to localized dryness in the joints that reduces their natural flexibility. It happens due to persistent use of incorrect diet. Once the flexibility reduces or in other words, when rigidity occurs, friction inside the joints increases during movement. As a result, the movements of the joints become painful.