Many people have pain and stiffness in their joints from time to time. It might be due to an injury or from overuse of a joint.

Treatment aims to control pain, reduce damage, and improve function and quality of life. Your doctor will examine your symptoms, take a history, and do blood tests.

What is arthritis?

Arthritis is a disease that causes pain, stiffness, and swelling in joints. It can happen in many places on the body, and it usually affects a single joint at a time. Most types of arthritis are long-term (chronic) conditions that start slowly and get worse over months, years, or even a lifetime. They can also vary from one person to another.

Most people with arthritis have the condition in knees, hips, feet, or the spine. They may also have it in their hands or fingers. The most common type is osteoarthritis, or OA. It happens when the joint’s cartilage—the slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint—breaks down. This can happen due to normal wear and tear, or it can be caused by an injury or other health problem.

Cartilage helps your joints move smoothly and absorb pressure and shock. But over time, if you have too much weight or you take on too much activity, your cartilage can break down more quickly than it should and make the joints hurt. Symptoms of this type of arthritis include achy, painful joints that feel worse in the morning and after prolonged rest or exercise.

There are more than 100 different kinds of arthritis and other rheumatic diseases, which are conditions that cause inflammation in the joints and other parts of the body. They can be painful, disabling, and sometimes life-threatening.

Some examples of rheumatic diseases are lupus, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Most of these diseases are more common in women than in men. They are also more likely to occur in older adults, but some can start in children or young teens. It’s not always clear what causes these diseases, but researchers think they have a lot to do with genes and how the body reacts to certain stresses or injuries. It’s not clear how to prevent them, but regular exercise and a balanced diet can help. People who have a family history of a rheumatic disease are more likely to develop it themselves.

Causes

There are lots of different reasons that joints may hurt, swell, and stiffen. Some types of arthritis develop because of normal wear and tear on the body’s joints, and some occur after injuries or health conditions. Others happen when a person does too much physical activity or has an infection that affects the joint’s tissues.

There’s no cure for most forms of arthritis, but the goal is to control pain and improve your daily functioning. Your healthcare provider will help you find treatments to manage your symptoms.

The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis (OA). It’s caused by the natural breakdown of cartilage tissue, which protects the ends of bones in a joint and helps them move smoothly. OA usually occurs in weight-bearing joints such as those in the knees, hips, and spine, but it can also affect other joints. Over time, OA can cause damage to the cartilage and the bone beneath it, which leads to pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of function.

Another type of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It’s an auto-immune disease that causes the immune system to mistakenly attack healthy tissue in the joints, causing inflammation and making it difficult to use the joint. Over time, it can also lead to damage to other tissue and organs.

RA symptoms come and go, so it’s important to balance activity with rest. Heat treatments, such as heating pads and warm baths, are good for soothing sore joints and reducing swelling and stiffness. Cold treatment, such as ice packs or cold water bottles, can help numb the painful area and reduce inflammation and swelling.

Exercise can help, especially low-impact activities like swimming and walking. It can also help relieve stiffness by promoting the release of chemicals called endorphins in the body, which are natural painkillers. Some over-the-counter pain relievers, such as analgesics (like hydrocodone and acetaminophen), are helpful for mild pain. Creams and ointments containing menthol or capsaicin, which block the transmission of pain signals, can also be used. Other medicines, such as DMARDs (disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs) and immunosuppressants (like methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine), can slow or stop the immune system response to prevent damage.

Symptoms

Pain, stiffness, and swelling are the main symptoms of arthritis. The joints involved may be in any part of the body. Some types of arthritis cause other symptoms, such as fatigue, fever, weight loss, and a rash. Symptoms may come and go or get worse over time.

If you have a joint problem that isn’t getting better, make an appointment to see your doctor. Your doctor will do a physical exam and ask you about your symptoms. They will also check your family history of joint problems. They may refer you to a specialist, such as a rheumatologist.

X-rays help your doctor decide what kind of arthritis you have. They show the damage to cartilage, bone spurs, and other changes in your joints. Your doctor may also order tests of blood and urine, which can help find the cause of your arthritis. These tests can include one for a type of antibody in the blood called rheumatoid factor, which is found in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Other blood tests can help rule out other diseases that may be causing your symptoms.

Some people develop arthritis for no obvious reason, which is called idiopathic arthritis. This is the most common type of arthritis in children and young adults. It can cause permanent joint damage. Other types of arthritis are caused by infections or by certain drugs.

Arthritis that is caused by an infection is called infectious arthritis. It occurs when bacteria or other disease-causing microorganisms enter a joint through an injury or surgery. This type of arthritis can cause serious complications, including infection, so it is important to get treatment right away.

Regular exercise can help reduce pain and stiffness from arthritis. It can also increase the strength and flexibility of the muscles that support your joints. Exercise also helps keep your joints warm, which can help relieve pain and stiffness. Heat treatments, such as a hot bath or a heating pad wrapped in a towel, can also help relieve pain and stiffness. But you should talk to your doctor before trying any new exercise or heat therapy.

Treatment

There’s no cure for most types of arthritis, but treatment can help control pain and keep joint damage from getting worse. Treatments may include medicine, physical therapy, and surgery.

Your health care provider will ask you about your symptoms and do a physical exam. He or she will look for swelling, redness, and warmth in your joints. Some tests can tell what kind of arthritis you have. They include blood tests, X-rays, and an analysis of your joint fluid (a test called a joint aspiration). Doctors cleanse and numb a joint before they insert a needle into the space to remove a small sample of the fluid. Your doctor will then test the fluid to see if it contains crystals or other signs of infection or disease.

X-rays can show damage to your joints, including cartilage loss and bone spurs. They can also show if you have other conditions that can cause arthritis, such as ankylosing spondylitis.

Other types of arthritis are caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means your immune system mistakenly attacks your own tissues. Inflammatory arthritis can happen in any joint, but it often affects weight-bearing joints like the knees and hips. It can also happen in fingers, toes, and the eye sockets (ocular arthritis).

Some people have a form of arthritis that starts in childhood. This type is called juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). It’s usually caused by an injury or infection. It can be difficult to diagnose because the early symptoms are similar to other childhood illnesses.

Many things can make arthritis worse, including weather changes and certain foods. Some medications can also aggravate it. But staying active can reduce your risk of arthritis and help manage your symptoms. Talk to your health care provider about how to best stay active and feel comfortable.

There’s no reason you should have to let arthritis stop you from doing the activities you enjoy. With the right treatment, support, and knowledge, you can spend more time doing what you love—and less time feeling stiff and sore. You can do the activities you want to do and still live a happy and fulfilling life.