FAQs

One in five of the adult population in the UK live with arthritis.

Arthritis affects people of all ages. There are 12,000 children in the UK with arthritis and approximately 27,000 people living with arthritis are under the age of 25.

One in five GP visits involves the symptoms of arthritis, such as joint pain, stiffness, fatigue and impaired mobility.

Arthritis Care’s OA Nation report found that 81 per cent of the people surveyed are in constant pain or are limited in their scope to perform everyday tasks.

For most people, arthritis causes discomfort, pain and stiffness in one or more joint and causes fatigue. If you experience any of these symptoms, you should visit your GP who will be able to tell you if you have arthritis by initially sending you for an X-ray or blood test. Or you might be referred to a specialist consultant if finding a diagnosis is more difficult.

At the moment, there is no cure for arthritis (except gout). However, there are many ways of treating the symptoms of arthritis. There is also much you can do to protect your joints and keep mobile with drugs, therapies and self-management techniques.

The links between arthritis and the weather are inconclusive. There is no overwhelming evidence to support this and information has been anecdotal and subjective. Many people with arthritis say that their joints ache before a storm, and, according to experts, this is due to a drop in pressure and a rise in the humidity causing pain and stiffness in the joints. However, a change in the weather will not cause arthritis, but can worsen the symptoms.

There are 200 types of arthritis. The majority of types of arthritis are not hereditary. However, if you have a condition that is hereditary – like sticklers syndrome – you will be aware of this as your doctors will be monitoring your condition closely.

Recent evidence suggests that certain types of arthritis such as osteoarthritis in the hands can be hereditary, but further studies are needed to confirm this.

Some people may have a genetic preposition to certain types of arthritis (lupus, ankylosing spondylitis etc), but this is not the same as a type of arthritis being hereditary.

70-80 per cent of pregnant women with arthritis find that pregnancy subdues their arthritis. However, once the pregnancy is over, the arthritis comes back. Pregnant women with ankylosing spondylitis feel no difference in their condition when pregnant and pregnant women with osteoarthritis of the knee and hip find their arthritis gets slightly worse when pregnant.

Women and men taking stronger medication for their arthritis such as methotrexate or other disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs will have to consult their doctor or consultant about the best course of action. However, drugs take about three months to leave the human body.