Talk to anyone over the age of 40 and most likely they have some kind of ache or pain, often times involving their joints. Sometimes the joint discomfort is the result of wear-and-tear but other times it can be caused by an infection, an autoimmune disorder or a condition like gout. Any disease that involves the joints falls under the category of a rheumatic disease, of which there are 100 classified types. Arthritis is one of the most common of the rheumatic diseases. Arthritic conditions are distinguished by red, swollen joints and inflamed connective tissues such as cartilage, synovial tissue, and tendons. Autoimmune diseases happen when the body’s own immune system is turning on parts of the body. The term rheumatic comes from the Greek root “rheuma,” which means flux, but it’s come to mean ‘related to the joint. “Arthritis” means joint inflammation, and although it is really only a symptom or sign—not a diagnosis—the term arthritis has become the laype...
