Arthritis means the inflammation of one or more joints. Both small and large joints can be affected. It is a painful and immobilizing disease and can occur in males and females of all ages, particularly adults, but rarely in the children. It is not true that arthritis can occur in elderly persons only.

Causes of Arthritis
Researchers have been searching for the cause of arthritis for decades but the exact cause of arthritis still remains unknown. There are many different views about it but three theories about the cause are frequently talked about. These are:

* Genetic or hereditary factors
It is likely that genetic variations can contribute but it not necessary that the cause will always have a link to genetics. Exactly how much these contribute to the cause of arthritis is not clearly known.
* Immune system abnormalities or autoimmune disease
This is understood to be more likely cause of arthritis but what exactly is it, is not known or specified.
* A persistent or triggering infection
Like the previous two, this cause is also a supposition. With so much advancement of medical science, this infection if it does exist, remains unknown.
* Association with a particular disease. In certain cases, arthritis may be associated with a particular disease like psoriatic arthritis, which is associated with psoriasis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease and is said to have no known cure. It is to be managed medically, socially and emotionally. The patient and his family is to be educated about the nature and course of the disease. Main aim of the treatment (whatever that is) is to reduce the pain and discomfort, prevent deformities and loss of joint function and maintain a productive and active life."

This is what the orthodox medical system has to briefly say about rheumatoid arthritis. Nearly same is the situation for psoriatic arthritis and osteoarthritis. They are not considered curable.

What homeopathy offers:
Homeopathy follows the same procedure of choosing the medicine for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis or any other type. According to this methodology, when a person is treated as a whole, treatment for psoriasis along with psoriatic arthritis is automatically taken care of. So, the general concept that arthritis is not curable is not true for homeopathic treatment.

Homeopathy or any other system however, cannot cure arthritis very rapidly. Treatment of arthritis is a very slow process. It may take long to cure. Patient as well as the doctor would need to be very patient before they can see the cure.