This book was written in order to help patients suffering from arthritis-related discomfort of the shoulder, hip, and/or knee joints. This book is not intended to replace the very important relationship between the patient and his or her doctor. This book is designed to assist with communication between patients and physicians. Specifically, this book will enable patients to ask highly productive questions and obtain the most useful information from their medical care providers (doctors, physicians' assistants, nurses, etc.) during their appointments or telephone conversations. The chapters are organized to cover different aspects of Arthritis and concurring treatments. There may be some overlap of information within the chapters, which is due to the intertwining nature of various arthritis treatments. The treatment options described in the book are the most up-to-date at the time this book was written. The reader should be aware that our understanding of arthritis and treatment options is constantly expanding and some of the explanations and recommendations may be out of date, even before the final publication process is completed. Nevertheless, our sincere hope is that this material will provide important knowledge to a patient suffering from arthritis and will contribute to an improved quality of life.