Arthritis is the number one cause of disability in the United States. More than 40 million people show some evidence of it on x-rays and more than 16 million suffer its effects. One of the most common misconceptions regarding arthritis is that it is a single disease, when in reality there are many different types of arthritis, requiring different types of treatment. The Encyclopedia of Arthritis is a new volume in the Library of Health and Living series. It provides comprehensive coverage of the topic in an accessible A-to-Z format written for lay reader but useful to the professional. The book covers everything from definitions of specific types of arthritis, its symptoms, its causes, and diagnoses to medications, pain management, and possible treatments. Relevant appendixes listing statistics and resources, information on drugs used for treatment, directories of organizations, periodicals and internet resources, and an extensive bibliography are also included.