A Caregivers Guide to Arthritis: Common Arthritis-Related Diseases

While OA and RA may be the most commonly recognized types of arthritis, there are other related conditions that are often found in older adults. They include:

• Fibromyalgia
  • A condition that causes pain in the muscles and soft tissues and is often accompanied by fatigue, poor sleep and sensitivity to touch, especially in certain tender points on the body.
• Gout
  • A condition that occurs when the body produces too much of a substance called uric acid, which can lead to the development of uric acid crystals in the joint (typically the big toe) and causes severe pain and swelling.
• Osteoporosis
  • One of the most common arthritis-related diseases, this condition causes bone to lose mass and become thin and brittle, which can lead to painful fractures, rounded shoulders and loss of height.