There is a general misconception that arthritis is an age-related medical condition that afflicts only senior citizens or the elderly. This may be true for osteoarthritis, the most common type of joint disorder that usually affects adults of both sexes in their middle ages. But what most people don’t understand is that there are other types or causes of arthritis.

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How joint pain and the destruction of cartilage are related is not yet fully understood. Cartilage itself does not cause pain because there are no nerve structures in cartilage to transmit pain signals. Most likely, the pain of rheumatoid arthritis is caused by the irritation of other tissues in and around the affected joints. This irritation may be caused by chemical-messenger substances, such as prostaglandin E2, that are associated with the disease process. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce pain because they inhibit the production of prostaglandins.

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There are several possible causes of arthritis, and these may vary from one individual to another.

Whilst rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition, osteoarthritis is generally caused by wear and tear to the joints in the body over the years. The joints are protected by cartilage and other tissues, which are able to repair and heal themselves on a daily basis.

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