Word parts
What it means
A general term for more than 100 joint conditions. The most common are osteoarthritisos-tee-oh-ar-THRY-tisA long-term joint disease in which the cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones wears away.oste/o bonearthr/o joint-itis inflammationFull entry , from wear of the joint cartilage, and rheumatoid arthritisROO-muh-toyd ar-THRY-tisA long-term autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the lining of the joints.rheumat/o flowing, joint pain-oid likearthr/o joint-itis inflammationFull entry , an autoimmune disease. Others include gout (urate crystals in the joint), psoriatic arthritis and infection of a joint (septic arthritis). They can cause pain, stiffness, swelling and loss of movement.
For the nurse
Balance rest and activity, use heat or cold as ordered, and support joint protection and assistive devices. A single hot, swollen, very painful joint with fever may be infected and is reported promptly.
At a glance
| Spanish | artritis |
|---|---|
| Also written | arthritic |
Related terms
osteoarthritis
A long-term joint disease in which the cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones wears away.
-itis
A word ending that means inflammation.
rheumatoid arthritis
A long-term autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the lining of the joints.
arthr/o
A word root that means joint.