• Question: What causes arthritis?

    Asked by Diti to Ben on 12 Mar 2018.
    • Photo: Ben Mulhearn

      Ben Mulhearn answered on 12 Mar 2018:

      ‘Arthritis’ just mean inflammation of the joints. It can be caused by our immune system attacking our own joints (inflammatory arthritis, one type is known as rheumatoid arthritis). This causes pain, stiffness and swelling of the joints, particularly in the mornings. The other type of arthritis is ‘wear and tear’ arthritis, called osteoarthritis. It is mainly caused by repetitive damage to joints as we get older, and causes pain in the joints, particularly after movement.

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