However, weight loss, if the patient is obese, is very helpful because it takes the pressure off joints. That would depend on the type of arthritis that you are talking about. When there is inflammation in the lining of the joint, the inflammation causes the joint to hurt. Extra fluid may form in the joint, the joint lining may swell, and the range of motion may be less until the inflammation is treated. There are many possible causes for inflammation that can add together to cause an inflammatory arthritis, but, in most cases, the cause is not known.
Infection can cause arthritis with inflammation.
When we get to non-inflammatory causes like osteoarthritis, the primary problem seems to be wear and tear of cartilage, which can be accelerated by an injury, by previous inflammation, or even by normal aging. The genes you inherit affect both kinds of arthritis. In some cases, arthritis can run in families. Vioxx is an anti-inflammatory agent that works on an enzyme called cyclo oxygenase. There are two forms of this enzyme.