arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis

Key facts Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic (long-term) disease that can cause pain and swelling in your joints. People who have rheumatoid arthritis often experience times when their joints are particularly painful. It is important not to delay speaking to your doctor if you think you may have rheumatoid arthritis. Starting treatment as soon as possible helps avoid serious symptoms. You can slow down further damage to your joints and manage pain with medicines, exercise and lifestyle changes. What is rheumatoid arthritis? Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic (long-term) disease that can cause pain and swelling in your joints. Rheumatoid arthritis

Arthritis in children (juvenile idiopathic arthritis)

Key facts Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA, or juvenile arthritis) is chronic (ongoing) inflammatory arthritis that affects children. There are several different types of JIA, which have different symptoms and signs. Common symptoms include joint pain, swelling and stiffness in the morning. Treatments are available and depend on the type of arthritis. About half of all children with JIA no longer have symptoms by the time they are adults. What is juvenile idiopathic arthritis? Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is inflammatory arthritis that affects children under 16 years old. JIA can be mild or severe and may last for months or years.

Arthritis

What is arthritis? Arthritis is not one disease alone, but an umbrella term for more than 100 conditions that affect the joints of the body. Joints are points where 2 or more bones meet, such as in the wrist, knuckles, hips, knees and ankles. If you have arthritis, the joints are inflamed, causing discomfort and pain. It can range from mild to severe and can affect people of all ages. It affects nearly 4 million Australians, including at least 6,000 children. The 3 most common types of arthritis found in Australians are: osteoarthritis rheumatoid arthritis gout Other types of arthritis include: