Causes of Arthritis

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Arthritic conditions, or arthritides, can appear in many forms and may result from many different environmental and biological factors. Frequent injury is one of the biggest causes of arthritis. If one should suffer a bone injury, resulting in the damage or tearing of bone cartilage (a protein material that lubricates and strengthens the body’s joints) the resulting depreciation of bone will likely bring about arthritis. Arthritis is also a condition that is associated with the aging process. As a person slows down and is generally less active as they age, the damage one does to their joints actually decreases as one grows older; however, cartilage naturally becomes more brittle, creating a higher risk for bone damage, which leads to arthritis.

Common Causes of Arthritis

Arthritic conditions, or arthritides, can appear in many forms and may result from many different environmental and biological factors. Frequent injury is a common cause of arthritis. If one should suffer a bone injury, resulting in the damage or tearing of bone cartilage (a protein material that lubricates and strengthens the body’s joints) the resulting depreciation of bone will likely bring about arthritis. Arthritis is also a condition that is associated with the aging process. As a person slows down and is generally less active as they age, the damage one does to their joints actually decreases as one grows older; however, cartilage naturally becomes more brittle, creating a higher risk for bone damage, which leads to arthritis. Excessive weight can also cause arthritis. There are no magic cure-all prescription drugs that can treat the harmful effects of laziness and lack of personal responsibility. Carrying around excess body fat can work to harm the body’s joints, particularly the hips and knees, which should be further incentive for people to maintain active and healthy lifestyles. This is especially important for those who are of an advanced age, as they are more prone to injury through various conditions that are associated with the aging process: Dementia, depreciated vision and equilibrium, as well as osteoporosis can all contribute to a person’s falling, resulting in bone injury. Additionally, aged persons are naturally more at risk for the arthritide, osteoarthritis. Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Advil or Motrin, are common prescription drugs used to treat osteoporosis.

Additional Causes of Arthritis

Joint infections may also lead to a particular kind of arthritis, known as septic arthritis. Most commonly, this results from a person contracting gonorrhea, hence the term, gonococcal joint infection. Treatment for this sort of condition typically involves intravenous or intramuscular prescription drugs. Non-gonorrhea-related septic arthritis is referred to as or nongonococcal (bacterial). Both intravenous and oral prescription drugs are used to remedy nongonococcal infection.

Lastly, it is believed that there are hereditary factors that can lead to arthritis, though there is still a lack of concrete data on the subject. Rheumatoid arthritis, (an autoimmune disease that most often affects the synovial membranes that line bone joints, leading to synovitis or joint inflammation,) is still somewhat of a mystery to doctors. While specific causes of arthritis of this type have yet to be determined, heredity is thought to be one of the more likely possibilities. Prescription drugs used for treatment include Arava Oral and Rituxan IV, which are taken orally and intravenously, respectively. Although heredity is not the most significant cause for arthritis, studies have shown that it is significant -- 10% of children born from parents with arthritis will experience similar conditions. There are blood tests that can determine if a child is at risk for arthritis, though it is suggested that this should be done only after a child shows symptoms of the disease, as premature testing can lead to inaccurate results. If you think you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, talk to your doctor to determine possible causes of arthritis, and the type of arthritic condition. Your doctor will be able to determine your best course of treatment, and which prescription drugs are right for your condition. Different prescription drugs are used to treat different forms of arthritis. Visit our medications for arthritis page to learn more about these prescription drugs.