Arthritis is the term doctors use when there is swelling and pain in a joint.
Arthritis can be caused by many different diseases. The most common form of arthritis we see is what is called degenerative arthritis. This means that the lining at the end of the bones, which is called articular cartilage and allows the bones to slide smoothly over each other, has undergone an irreversible process of degeneration. By this, we mean that the lining becomes rough and bits flake off and the bones no longer glide smoothly over each other. The articular cartilage cannot repair this and, therefore, this process tends to go on until all of the lining of the joint is lost and there is very little articular cartilage left.