What is arthritis?

What is arthritis - general terms explained

- There are over 100 types of arthritis, affecting more than 10 million people in the UK, but the most common are:

  • Osteoarthritis
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Gout

- Arthritis can affect any age or gender.

- The word "Arthritis" comes from the latin; "Arthro-" meaning joint, and "-itis" meaning inflammation.

- Symptoms of arthritis include:

  • Pain
  • Stiffness
  • Swelling
  • Redness
  • Reduced range of movement
  • A feeling that the bones are grating or catching
  • Symptoms that are worse in the morning and improve over the course of the day

- There are several factors that can increase your chances of getting arthritis, however, they do not mean that you will get arthritis:

  • Advancing age - the older you are, the more likely you are to suffer from arthritis.
  • Overweight - carrying extra weight puts much more stress on your joints.
  • Gender - females are more likely to get arthritis than males.
  • Previous injury - previous damage to the joint(s) can lead to arthritis later in life.
  • Genes - if other members of your family have arthritis, it is more likely that you will get it.
  • Diet - particularly with gout, if you drink a lot of alcohol you will be more susceptible.