Arthritis

Arthritis is inflammation of a joint. There are three main forms of arthritis: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and septic arthritis.

Many conditions may cause arthritis, including gout, infection, and trauma to the joint.

Rheumatoid arthritis - affected joints of the hand

It is believed the cruel Ivan the Terrible was unhinged  by the mercury he took to cure the pain of chronic arthritis. He often foamed at the mouth like a rabid dog and tore clumps of hair out until his scalp bled.

French Impressionist painter Pierre Renoir carried on painting into his old age despite being crippled for years by arthritis. He managed this by strapping the brush to his arm.

Lucille Ball was stricken by rheumatoid arthritis early in her career and spent two years re-learning how to walk.

Emu oil is extracted from the bird’s fat and has been shown to help medicines penetrate skin as well as easing arthritis pain.

The jacuzzi was developed in 1968 by Californian Roy Jacuzzi after spotting the commercial possibilities of using a portable pump invented by his relative, Candido Jacuzzi, for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthritis is more common in women than men at all ages and affects all races, ethnic groups and cultures.

In the United States a CDC survey based on data from 2013–2015 showed 54.4 million (22.7%) adults had self-reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis, and 23.7 million (43.5% of those with arthritis) had arthritis-attributable activity limitation.

There are several types of medications that are used for the treatment of arthritis. The first-line treatment for osteoarthritis is paracetamol while for inflammatory arthritis it involves non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen. The drugs to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) range from corticosteroids to monoclonal antibodies given intravenously.

Oxyphenbutazone, which is a drug used to treat arthritis, is the highest scoring word in Scrabble. It potentially earns 1,178 points.

A scientist cracked his knuckles on one hand for over 50 years to prove it did not cause arthritis.