Arthritis – how to spot symptoms, prevent and treat it

Your arthritis plan – find out more about the condition plus treatments for symptoms in your hands, knees, hips and more…

What are the symptoms of arthritis?

 What are the different types of arthritis 

What can increase your risk?   

When to see a doctor

How is arthritis diagnosed?

What are the treatments for arthritis?

How a pharmacist can help 

Stiffness in your hips and knees when you get out of bed in the morning? Intense finger and hand pain when you type, cook or garden? These are symptoms of arthritis – a collection of conditions where you get pain, swelling, stiffness, and inflammation in your joints.


Affecting more than 350 million people worldwide, arthritis is a leading cause of disability. 

But arthritis isn’t a single condition – it’s an umbrella term for more than 100 conditions that affect your joints or the tissues around your joints. 

Living with arthritis can be tough. The physical pain and discomfort of your symptoms can have an impact on pretty much every area of your life, including sleep, mood, body image, relationships, and work life.

But there are things you can do to help you live a healthy life If you are diagnosed with arthritis. 

Read on to learn about the different types, what factors increase risk of the condition, how to get diagnosed and what can help. 


## What are the symptoms of arthritis?

If you have any of these symptoms regularly you should [see your doctor](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/arthritis#when-to-see-a-doctor) – because you may have one of the many kinds of arthritis:

- joint pain, tenderness, and stiffness
- inflammation in and around your joints
- difficulty moving your joints
- warm, red skin over any affected joints
- weakness and muscle wasting.


Get help with this

##  What are the different types of arthritis 

They include:

- __[osteoarthritis (OA)](https://www.livehealthily.com/arthritis/osteoarthritis)__ – the most common form of arthritis, Sometimes known as ‘wear and tear’ arthritis, OA develops most frequently in the hands, hips, and knees. It’s due to cartilage within a joint starting to break down, resulting in bone changes that cause symptoms 
- __[rheumatoid arthritis (RA)](https://www.livehealthily.com/arthritis/rheumatoid-arthritis)__ – less common than OA, this is a long-term, autoimmune condition where your body’s immune system mistakenly attacks your joints, causing inflammation. 

Other types of arthritis include:

- __[psoriatic arthritis](https://www.livehealthily.com/arthritis/psoriatic-arthritis)__ – around 1 in 3 people with the skin condition psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis. This can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling in any joint – most likely your knees, ankles, hands, and feet
- __[ankylosing spondylitis](https://www.livehealthily.com/spine-disorders/ankylosing-spondylitis) – a long-term inflammatory condition that affects the joints around your spine. In AS, new bits of bone grow in your spine which leads to pain and stiffness 
- __[gout](https://www.livehealthily.com/foot-pain/gout)__ – This causes painful swelling in your joints, usually your big toe but it can also affect other joints in your body. It happens when there’s too much urate, or uric acid, in your body
- __enteropathic arthritis (EnA)__ – another type of long-term arthritis that can happen if you have [inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)](https://www.livehealthily.com/inflammatory-bowel-disease) such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease
- __[reactive arthritis](https://www.livehealthily.com/arthritis/reactive-arthritis)__ – this usually happens if you’ve had an infection, particularly a [sexually-transmitted infection (STI)](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/sexually-transmitted-infections) or food poisoning. The redness and swelling in your joints usually go away within a few months
- __secondary arthritis__ – you might develop this type of arthritis after a joint injury and it sometimes develops years later.


## What can increase your risk?   

Arthritis can affect anyone, but some factors make it more likely to develop the condition: 

- __age__ – your risk for many types of arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis, goes up with age due to changes in your bones, joints, and muscles as they lose structure or become stiffer
- __gender__ – most types of arthritis are more common in women, such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. But there are exceptions as gout is more common in men
- __genes__ – some people have genes called HLA (human leukocyte antigen) class II genotypes, which make them more likely to develop certain types of arthritis and make symptoms worse. Experts still don’t know why this happens. 

Other risk factors that you might be able to prevent are: 

- __being obese or overweight__ – can add stress to your joints such as your knees. Try to maintain a healthy weight to lessen risk of arthritis 
- __injuries to your joints__ – or joint overuse can put you more at risk of developing osteoarthritis. Protect yourself by exercising correctly
- __smoking__ – this puts you more at risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis along with other health problems, so stop. 


## When to see a doctor

It’s normal to have aches and pains occasionally. But you should see your doctor if you have arthritis [symptoms](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/arthritis#symptoms), and if they: 

- don’t go away after a day or 2
- are interfering with your day-to-day activities
- are getting worse
- Include a red, very swollen or very painful joint
- include a painful joint and a fever
- include joint pain that started after an injury.

The earlier you get a diagnosis and start the right treatment, the better you can manage your condition and live the life you want.


## How is arthritis diagnosed?

It can take time to get the right arthritis diagnosis. Because there are more than 100 different types of arthritis, some conditions can share similar symptoms – so you might need a few different tests to work out which you have. 

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms, your general health, lifestyle, and family history. You may also have: 

- __a physical exam__ – to check your joints for signs of swelling, tenderness, warmth, and/or redness and movement 
- __imaging tests__ – X-rays to look for signs of joint distress. Sometimes you might have an MRI or ultrasound 
- __blood tests__ –  can confirm or exclude some types of inflammatory arthritis or look for high uric acid levels if you are getting recurrent gout. 

Other tests may include a skin biopsy, where a small piece of skin is removed to check for psoriatic arthritis; or a joint fluid test – a small amount of fluid is taken from your joint to look for signs of infection and gout.


## What are the treatments for arthritis?

There’s no cure for arthritis but treatments have improved a lot over the years. 

Your treatment plan will involve relieving your symptoms and improving your joint function. Your doctor will help you create the right plan, which can involve the following:

### Medication 

[Treatments from your pharmacist](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/arthritis#pharmacy-care) can help ease your symptoms. But if they don’t bring you relief, your doctor may prescribe:

- __codeine__ – a strong painkiller which can help to relieve intense pain
- __capsaicin cream__ – a substance found in chili peppers that blocks the nerves that send pain messages
- __stronger NSAIDs__ – such as naproxen or celecoxib for RA or gout
- __colchicine__ – a medication used for gout if NSAIDs can’t be used or don’t work well.

If the drug treatments above don’t work for you, your doctor may refer you for more specialized treatment which could include:
- __[steroids](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/drugs/corticosteroid-drugs)__ – to reduce inflammation and pain and help slow joint damage, taken as pills or an injection into the painful joint
- __disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)__ – they work to suppress your body’s immune and/or inflammatory systems and help slow the progress of RA. They can also treat other types of inflammatory arthritis such as [ankylosing spondylitis](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/ankylosing-spondylitis) and [psoriatic arthritis](https://www.livehealthily.com/health-library/conditions/psoriatic-arthritis).

### Surgery

You won’t necessarily need surgery for arthritis, but it may help to reduce your pain and improve your mobility. Common types include:

- __joint replacement:__ your affected joint – commonly hips and knees – is removed and replaced with an artificial joint made of plastics and metal
- __joint fusion: __to fuse your joint in a permanent position so it’s stronger and less painful, but you won’t have range of movement. Used for smaller joints such as your wrist, ankle, fingers or toes
- __joint realignment:__ an option if you’re younger and active. Your bones and other joint structures are realigned, rather than replacing your joint entirely. 

### Therapies

Different physical therapies can be helpful for some types of arthritis and may be used after surgery to help your joints heal and get stronger, including:

- __hydrotherapy:__ also called aquatic therapy, where you do special slow, controlled movements in a heated pool
- __occupational therapy:__ a therapist can help you get back to your usual everyday activities and includes adjustments to performing tasks such as getting in and out of bed or cooking
- __physical therapy:__ a therapist can help you build your strength and stamina with a program of exercise and activity.


## How a pharmacist can help 

If you know you have arthritis, or if you’re waiting for a diagnosis, you can get the following from your pharmacist to help ease your symptoms:

- __painkillers:__ over-the-counter acetaminophen (paracetamol) can help ease mild to moderate pain in your joints
- __ibuprofen gel:__ a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that can help with pain and inflammation when rubbed onto your joints
- __oral NSAIDs such as ibuprofen:__ to help deal with pain and inflammation. Check with your pharmacist before taking them
- __hot water bottle:__ or a heated pad to help soothe painful joints.


 ## Self-care to manage your arthritis

Alongside treatment, try these techniques to help manage your symptoms:

- __know your triggers__ – certain things can lead to a flare in your arthritis, when your condition is worse despite taking your usual medications. Triggers depend on what type of arthritis you have and can range from overdoing an activity to the weather, so get to know them and plan ahead to avoid or lessen symptoms
- __manage stress__ – when you’re stressed your breathing becomes faster, and your muscles tense so if you’re constantly in this ‘fight or flight’ mode, increased muscle tension can ramp up your arthritis pain. Learn to reduce stress with techniques such as mindfulness meditation 
- __stop smoking__ – research has shown that cigarette smoking can lead to worse symptoms in both osteoarthritis and RA. It’s thought toxins from cigarettes could damage your cartilage
- __be active__ – exercise can improve your symptoms by strengthening your muscles and making your joints less stiff. Try low-impact activities like yoga, pilates, swimming T’ai Chi and brisk walking 
- __join a support group__ or find support services such as [Versus Arthritis](https://versusarthritis.org/) in the UK, [Arthritis Foundation](https://www.arthritis.org/) and the [American Arthritis Foundation](https://helparthritis.org/community-education) in the US, and global organizations like [Creaky Joints](https://creakyjoints.org/).

Read more about [self-care for arthritis](https://www.livehealthily.com/self-care/arthritis-self-care-how-to-look-after-yourself). 


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References

Rosa Bowden

 Christina Quaine

Jo Wheatley

Dr Tamer T Malak

Dr Adiele Hoffman

Dr Ann Nainan

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