all forms of arthritis, rheumatism, slipped disk, osteoporosis, muscle pains, myositis, neuralgia, neuritis, lumbago, sciatica, post-accidental inflammations, the waters are also indicated for a number of gynaecological complaints (salpingitis, endometritis, infertilities, ovary deficiency)

What Is Arthritis?

Many people start to feel pain and stiffness in their bodies over time. Sometimes their hands or knees or hips get sore and are hard to move. These people may have arthritis. Any part of your body can become inflamed or painful from arthritis.

Arthritis is an illness that can cause pain and swelling in your joints. Over time, the joint can become severely damaged. Joints are places where two bones meet, such as your elbow or knee. Some kinds of arthritis can cause problems in other organs, such as your eyes, or in your chest. It can affect your skin, too.

These problems may be caused by inflammation, a swelling that can include pain or redness. They are telling you that something is wrong.

Some people may worry that arthritis means they won't be able to work or take care of their children and their family. Others think that you just have to accept things like arthritis.

It's true that arthritis can be painful. But there are things you can do to feel better. This article tells you some facts about arthritis and gives you some ideas about what to do, so you can keep doing the things you want to do.

There are several kinds of arthritis. The two most common ones are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in the World, affecting an estimated 21 million adults. Osteoarthritis begins with the breakdown of joint cartilage, resulting in pain and stiffness.
This is the form that usually comes with age and most often affects the fingers, knees, and hips. Sometimes osteoarthritis follows an injury to a joint. For example, a young person might hurt his knee badly playing soccer. Then, years after the knee has apparently healed, he might get arthritis in his knee joint.

Rheumatoid arthritis happens when the body's own defense system doesn't work properly. Most commonly the joints of the fingers, wrists, arms and legs are affected and it will involve the same joints on both sides of the body. Swelling, pain, deformity and stiffness are typically present. Unlike osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis may also affect the heart, lungs, and eyes of some patients. Rheumatoid arthritis can also cause an overall feeling of sickness and fatigue as well as weight loss and fever.

Other conditions can also cause arthritis. Some include:

• Gout, in which crystals build up in the joints. It usually affects the big toe.
• Lupus, in which the body's defense system can harm the joints, the heart, the skin, the kidneys, and other organs.
• Viral hepatitis, in which an infection of the liver can cause arthritis.