Inflammatory Arthritis

UMass Memorial Health rheumatologists are experts at diagnosing and treating spondyloarthropathies. We take the time to help you understand the condition and how we plan to address it.

What Is Inflammatory Arthritis or Spondyloarthropathy?

Inflammatory arthritis can cause joint pain, swelling, warmth or tenderness in joints, and morning stiffness. Spondyloarthropathy, a type of inflammatory arthritis, mainly impacts the spine, hips or knees.

There are several types of spondyloarthropathy. Each has its own characteristics and symptoms. These kinds of arthritis include:

• Ankylosing spondylitis: Causes inflammation in certain parts of the spine
• Reactive arthritis (Reiter’s syndrome): Occurs because of an infection
• Psoriatic arthritis: Linked with psoriasis and is similar to rheumatoid arthritis in both symptoms and joint swelling
• Spondyloarthritis associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): Shows up alongside ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease