There are many kinds of arthritis. In its various forms, arthritis disables more people than any other chronic disorder. The condition can be brought about by nerve impairment, increased or decreased function of the endocrine glands, or degeneration due to age. Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease of unknown cause, is the most crippling form.
Women are much more susceptible to it than men.
Although rheumatoid arthritis usually appears between the ages of 25 and 50, it also occurs in children. Osteoarthritis, the most common type, occurs usually in people over 50. It tends to be more severe when the joints have been strained by obesity or overwork. Gout , the third most common form of arthritis, affects men almost exclusively. Orthopedic surgery, including artificial joint implantation, may be done in severe cases.