Arthritis is a painful condition that affects your joints and bones. The membrane that lines joints, like your elbows and knuckles, becomes inflamed making them stiff and swollen.

Arthritis is a common condition that affects over eight million people in the UK.

What causes arthritis and who can get it?

There are many different forms of arthritis.

The most common form is osteoarthritis, a degenerative condition (a condition that slowly gets worse over time) usually associated with old age.

As you get older, natural wear and tear of your body can cause the cartilage between your bones to slowly waste away leaving your bones to rub together. This makes your joints very stiff and painful and can make moving around difficult.

Not everyone gets arthritis in old age. Some people inherit the condition genetically from their parents.

Some other things can increase your risk of developing arthritis:

• Being overweight – this puts extra pressure on your joints and bones
• Having a job that puts strain on your joints and bones or involves repeated movement of one or two joints
• Damage to your joints or bones from an injury

Can you get arthritis when you’re young?

Young people can get arthritis too but it is usually a different type of arthritis. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common kind that affects young people. It is similar to, but not the same as, rheumatoid arthritis that affects some adults.

Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when your immune system, instead of just attacking infections, attacks the tissues of your body as well. This makes the membranes between your joints stiff and swollen. It can affect one or two joints or your whole body.

It is not really known what causes this kind of arthritis. Doctors think it might be inherited genetically but in some cases it can be linked to a virus.

What are the signs and symptoms of arthritis?

The main symptoms of arthritis are pain, swelling and stiffness in your joints.

'Flares' sometimes happen. These are periods of time when the symptoms are worse for a short while

JIA can affect organs, such as your eyes, liver, heart and lungs as well as your joints. This is because it is caused by an auto-immune response and not general wear and tear.

How is it normally diagnosed?

To diagnose arthritis your doctor will want to talk to you about:

• The symptoms you are experiencing
• Any activities you do that might strain your joints
• Your medical history and whether anyone else suffers from arthritis in your family

After this some physical tests, such as x-rays can show where your joints are affected and how bad your arthritis is.

If you are suffering from JIA then you will also need a blood test to help manage your condition.

How is it normally treated?

Arthritis affects everyone in a different way. Treatment depends on the type of arthritis you have and how badly you are affected. It can’t be cured but treatment can help to keep your arthritis under control.

Medication is often used and another important form of treatment is physiotherapy. This strengthens the muscles around the joints and helps them to work better. This can help to relieve any pain and stiffness in the joints.

If medication and physiotherapy don’t work, a joint may need replacing. Hip and knee replacements are common in older people.

Can it be prevented?

There is no known way to prevent JIA.

To reduce the risk of developing osteoarthritis when you’re older the best thing to do is to avoid becoming overweight. This puts your joints under extra pressure. It also helps to have a healthy diet that includes plenty of calcium, vitamin C and vitamin D. These vitamins help to keep your bones nice and strong.

Some people think that exercise can put your joints under extra pressure. Sometimes it can, but exercising regularly can actually help to prevent arthritis later in life because it strengthens the muscles that support your joints.

When should I seek medical help?

If you are experiencing any pain and stiffness in your joints you should go to see your doctor for a check-up.

Looking forward

A lot of young people with arthritis eventually have full remission – when the condition goes away completely.

It is important to start treatment as soon as possible when you have arthritis. This means you can work on making the muscles around the joints stronger in order to stop the condition from getting worse.

For more help and information

For more advice and information on arthritis please ask your doctor.

You can also contact Arthritis Care the UK’s leading organisation for sufferers.

Last reviewed by Great Ormond Street Hospital: 2 June 2008

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