An arthropathy is a

disease A disease is a particular abnormal condition that adversely affects the structure or function (biology), function of all or part of an organism and is not immediately due to any external injury. Diseases are often known to be medical condi ...

of a

joint A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw- ...

Types

Arthritis Arthritis is a general medical term used to describe a disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, Joint effusion, swelling, and decreased range of motion of ...

is a form of arthropathy that involves

inflammation Inflammation (from ) is part of the biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. The five cardinal signs are heat, pain, redness, swelling, and loss of function (Latin ''calor'', '' ...

of one or more joints, while the term arthropathy may be used regardless of whether there is inflammation or not. Joint diseases can be classified as follows: *

Infectious infection is the invasion of tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmissible disease or communicable dise ...

arthritis ::*

Septic arthritis Acute septic arthritis, infectious arthritis, suppurative arthritis, pyogenic arthritis, osteomyelitis, or joint infection is the invasion of a joint by an infectious agent resulting in joint inflammation. Generally speaking, symptoms typica ...

(infectious) ::*

Tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

arthritis ::*

Reactive arthritis Reactive arthritis, previously known as Reiter's syndrome, is a form of inflammatory arthritis that develops in response to an infection in another part of the body (cross-reactivity). Coming into contact with bacteria and developing an infect ...

(indirectly) :*Noninfectious arthritis ::* Seronegative spondyloarthropathy: :::*

Psoriatic arthritis Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a long-term inflammatory arthritis that may occur in some people affected by the autoimmune disease psoriasis. The classic features of psoriatic arthritis include dactylitis (sausage-like swelling of the fingers ...

:::*

Ankylosing spondylitis Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a type of arthritis from the disease spectrum of axial spondyloarthritis. It is characterized by long-term inflammation of the joints of the spine, typically where the spine joins the pelvis. With AS, eye and bow ...

::*

Rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disorder that primarily affects synovial joint, joints. It typically results in warm, swollen, and painful joints. Pain and stiffness often worsen following rest. Most commonly, the wrist and h ...

: :::* Felty's syndrome ::*

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), formerly known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), is the most common chronic rheumatic disease of childhood, affecting approximately 3.8 to 400 out of 100,000 children. ''Juvenile'', in this context, ref ...

::*

Adult-onset Still's disease Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) is a form of Still's disease, a rare systemic autoinflammatory disease characterized by the classic triad of fevers, joint pain, and a distinctive salmon-colored bumpy rash. The disease is considered a diagn ...

::*

Crystal arthropathy Crystal arthropathy is a class of joint disorders (called '' arthropathy'') that is characterized by the accumulation of tiny crystals in one or more joints. Polarizing microscopy and the application of other crystallographic techniques have impr ...

:::*

Gout Gout ( ) is a form of inflammatory arthritis characterized by recurrent attacks of pain in a red, tender, hot, and Joint effusion, swollen joint, caused by the deposition of needle-like crystals of uric acid known as monosodium urate crysta ...

:::*

Chondrocalcinosis Chondrocalcinosis or cartilage calcification is calcification (accumulation of calcium salts) in hyaline cartilage and/or fibrocartilage. Chondrocalcinosis is an observation that can be visualized through diagnostic imaging tests such as X-rays, ...

::*

Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis is a type of degenerative joint disease that results from breakdown of articular cartilage, joint cartilage and underlying bone. A form of arthritis, it is believed to be the fourth leading cause of disability in the world, affect ...

Hemarthrosis Hemarthrosis is a bleeding into joint spaces. It is a common feature of hemophilia. Causes It usually follows injury but occurs mainly in patients with a predisposition to hemorrhage such as those being treated with warfarin (or other anticoagu ...

(joint bleeding) *

Synovitis Synovitis is the medical term for inflammation of the synovial membrane. This membrane lines joints that possess cavities, known as synovial joints. The condition is usually painful, particularly when the joint is moved. The joint usually swells ...

is the medical term for

of the

synovial membrane Synovial () may refer to: * Synovial fluid * Synovial joint A synovial joint, also known as diarthrosis, joins bones or cartilage with a fibrous joint capsule that is continuous with the periosteum of the joined bones, constitutes the outer bou ...

. *

Joint dislocation A joint dislocation, also called luxation, occurs when there is an abnormal separation in the joint, where two or more bones meet. A partial dislocation is referred to as a subluxation. Dislocations are commonly caused by sudden Trauma (medic ...

With ''arthropathy'' in the name

* ''

Reactive arthropathy Reactive arthritis, previously known as Reiter's syndrome, is a form of inflammatory arthritis that develops in response to an infection in another part of the body (cross-reactivity). Coming into contact with bacteria and developing an infecti ...

'' (M02-M03) is caused by an

infection An infection is the invasion of tissue (biology), tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host (biology), host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmis ...

, but not a direct infection of the

synovial space Synovial () may refer to: * Synovial fluid * Synovial joint * Synovial membrane * Synovial bursa A synovial bursa, usually simply bursa (: bursae or bursas), is a small fluid-filled sac lined by synovial membrane with an inner capillary layer ...

. (See also

) * ''

Enteropathic arthropathy Enteropathic arthropathy, commonly referred to as enteropathic arthritis, is a type of arthritis linked to Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. Along with reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and idiopa ...

'' (M07) is caused by

colitis Colitis is swelling or inflammation Inflammation (from ) is part of the biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. The five cardinal signs are heat, pain, redness, swelling, and ...

and related conditions. * ''

'' (also known as ''crystal arthritis'') (M10-M11) involves the deposition of crystals in the joint. ** In

gout Gout ( ) is a form of inflammatory arthritis characterized by recurrent attacks of pain in a red, tender, hot, and Joint effusion, swollen joint, caused by the deposition of needle-like crystals of uric acid known as monosodium urate crysta ...

, the crystal is

uric acid Uric acid is a heterocyclic compound of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen with the Chemical formula, formula C5H4N4O3. It forms ions and salts known as urates and acid urates, such as ammonium acid urate. Uric acid is a product of the meta ...

. ** In

pseudogout Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystal deposition disease, also known as pseudogout and pyrophosphate arthropathy, is a rheumatologic disease which is thought to be secondary to abnormal accumulation of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate cr ...

chondrocalcinosis Chondrocalcinosis or cartilage calcification is calcification (accumulation of calcium salts) in hyaline cartilage and/or fibrocartilage. Chondrocalcinosis is an observation that can be visualized through diagnostic imaging tests such as X-rays, ...

calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystal deposition disease, also known as pseudogout and pyrophosphate arthropathy, is a rheumatologic disease which is thought to be secondary to abnormal accumulation of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate c ...

, the crystal is

calcium pyrophosphate Calcium pyrophosphate refers to any member of a series of inorganic compound with the formula . They are white solids that are insoluble in water. They contain the pyrophosphate anion, although sometimes they are referred to as phosphates. The i ...

. * '' Diabetic arthropathy'' (M14.2, E10-E14) is caused by

diabetes Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...

. * ''

Neuropathic arthropathy Neuropathic arthropathy (also known as Charcot neuroarthropathy or diabetic arthropathy) refers to a progressive fragmentation of bones and joints in the presence of neuropathy. It can occur in any joint where denervation is present, although ...

'' (M14.6) is associated with a loss of

sensation Sensation (psychology) refers to the processing of the senses by the sensory system. Sensation or sensations may also refer to: In arts and entertainment In literature *Sensation (fiction), a fiction writing mode *Sensation novel, a British ...

. Spondylarthropathy is any form of arthropathy of the

vertebral column The spinal column, also known as the vertebral column, spine or backbone, is the core part of the axial skeleton in vertebrates. The vertebral column is the defining and eponymous characteristic of the vertebrate. The spinal column is a segmente ...

Signs and symptoms

Joint pain Arthralgia () literally means 'joint pain'. Specifically, arthralgia is a symptom of injury, infection, illness (in particular arthritis), or an allergic reaction to medication Medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutic ...

is a common but non-specific sign of joint disease. Signs will depend on the specific disease, and may even then vary. Common signs may include: * Decreased

range of motion Range of motion (or ROM) is the linear or angular distance that a moving object may normally travel while properly attached to another. In biomechanics and strength training, ROM refers to the angular distance and direction a joint can move be ...

* Stiffness *

Effusion In physics and chemistry, effusion is the process in which a gas escapes from a container through a hole of diameter considerably smaller than the mean free path of the molecules. Such a hole is often described as a ''pinhole'' and the escape ...

* Pneumarthrosis, air in a joint (which is also a common normal finding). *

Bone erosion Bone erosion is the loss of bone from disease processes. Erosive arthritis is joint inflammation (arthritis) with bone destruction, and such conditions include rheumatoid arthritis. Bone erosion is the loss of bone in a certain area, rather than a ...

* Systemic signs of arthritis such as fatigue

Diagnosis

Diagnosis may be a combination of

medical history The medical history, case history, or anamnesis (from Greek: ἀνά, ''aná'', "open", and μνήσις, ''mnesis'', "memory") of a patient is a set of information the physicians collect over medical interviews. It involves the patient, and ev ...

physical examination In a physical examination, medical examination, clinical examination, or medical checkup, a medical practitioner examines a patient for any possible medical signs or symptoms of a Disease, medical condition. It generally consists of a series of ...

blood test A blood test is a medical laboratory, laboratory analysis performed on a blood sample that is usually extracted from a vein in the arm using a hypodermic needle, or via fingerprick. Multiple tests for specific blood components, such as a glucose ...

s and

medical imaging Medical imaging is the technique and process of imaging the interior of a body for clinical analysis and medical intervention, as well as visual representation of the function of some organs or tissues (physiology). Medical imaging seeks to revea ...

(generally

X-ray An X-ray (also known in many languages as Röntgen radiation) is a form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than those of ultraviolet rays and longer than those of gamma rays. Roughly, X-rays have a wavelength ran ...

Types

With ''arthropathy'' in the name

Signs and symptoms

Diagnosis

Treatment

References

External links