Inflammatory Arthritis

What Is Inflammatory Arthritis?

Inflammatory arthritis is a group of diseases characterized by inflammation of the joints and often other tissues. These include rheumatoid arthritispsoriatic arthritisankylosing spondylitisjuvenile idiopathic arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) among others.

 Inflammatory Arthritis Causes


Inflammatory Arthritis Symptoms

Inflammatory arthritis is characterized by pain, swelling, warmth and tenderness in the joints as well as morning stiffness that lasts for more than an hour. Because most inflammatory forms of arthritis are systemic (meaning they affect the entire body), other symptoms related to inflammation may occur in other parts of the body. Depending on the specific form of arthritis, these symptoms could include skin rashes, eye inflammation, hair loss, dry mouth and fever.

Inflammatory Arthritis Diagnosis


Inflammatory Arthritis Treatment

Treatment for inflammatory arthritis is tailored to the specific disease, its symptoms and its severity; however, several drugs are used for different forms of inflammatory arthritis. These include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to relieve pain and inflammation and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) or biologic agents to slow or stop the progression of the disease and damage to the joints. Less commonly, corticosteroids are used to quickly stop inflammation that threatens the joints or internal organs.

Inflammatory Arthritis Self Care
