Arthritis is a common condition that causes pain and inflammation in a joint or multiple joints and affects ten million people in the UK; young and old. There are many forms of arthritis but we will look at the two most common.

Osteoarthritis affects nearly 9 million people in this country, most commonly developing in the mid-40s and older and affects more women than men with a family history of the condition. It can occur at any age and is often associated with an injury or other joint conditions such as gout.

With osteoarthritis, the cartilage will start to roughen and thin causing pain and stiffness which then leads to swelling and possible bony spurs called osteophytes. Keeping active and doing regular exercise can help maintain healthy joints and muscles and, importantly, maintain a healthy weight as being overweight can put extra strain on the joints. Most people think arthritis can’t get better but in reality it tends to come and go.

Mild to moderate pain can be controlled with NSAIDs such as ibuprofen tablets and creams. Should your pain become more severe, your GP or physiotherapist can advise further treatments. If pain management has been exhausted, you may be considered for surgery. Surgery has excellent rates and joint replacement is quite sophisticated!

Rheumatoid Arthritis and other inflammatory arthritis like psoriatic arthritis, affects approximately half a million people and is an autoimmune condition. Again, women are three times more likely to get the condition than men. It usually presents in the smaller joints of the body like toes and fingers before possibly progressing to the larger joints.

The immune system attacks the healthy tissue and joints causing the outer layer (synovium) to deteriorate and spread across the whole joint which leads to swelling, cartilage breakdown and the joint eventually changing shape. People with rheumatoid arthritis can also develop problems with other body tissues and organs in their body.

Along with pain relief medication, you may be prescribed disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). This treatment can have the overall effect of reducing the activity of your immune system therefore reducing painful swelling and the progression of the condition.

Like osteoarthritis, exercise, good diet and maintaining a healthy weight are key to controlling the condition.

As mentioned, arthritis can also affect the younger population. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) affects about 15,000 children under the age of 16 in the UK. JIA causes pain and inflammation in 1 or more joints and usually subsides or even disappears after a few months. It’s not known what causes JIA but it is thought it could be triggered by an infection which in turns causes the immune system to go into overdrive and affect the joints.

Arthritis is an umbrella term for many different conditions; gout, bursitis and fibromyalgia being just a few. If you have pain in or around a joint or multiple joints that doesn’t go away after a few weeks, you should see a doctor. You will initially be offered a blood test and an assessment of your physical ability and, if inconclusive, joint scans (xrays or MRIs) will be offered. Finding out what’s causing your pain is key to finding the right treatment and self-help options.

For further information, please visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/arthritis or www.versusarthritis.org