Health Topic

Arthritis

Arthritis can cause pain, swelling and stiffness in and around the joints. Learn about the different types of Arthritis and how they can affect you.

Reviewed Reviewed by a registered pharmacistGeneral information

Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.

About Arthritis

If you feel pain and stiffness in your body or have trouble moving around, you might have arthritis. Any disorder that affects the joints is often called arthritis. Joints are places where two bones meet, such as your elbow or knee.

Most types of arthritis can cause joint pain and inflammation (swelling). Over time, a swollen joint can become severely damaged. Some kinds of arthritis can also cause problems in your organs, such as your eyes or skin. Treatment will depend on the type of arthritis you have.

Common types of arthritis include:

  • Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It's often related to aging or injury.
  • Autoimmune arthritis happens when your body's immune system attacks healthy cells in your body by mistake. Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common form of this type of arthritis.
  • Juvenile arthritis is a type of arthritis that happens in children.
  • Infectious arthritis is an infection that has spread from another part of your body to the joint. Reactive arthritis is one type.
  • Psoriatic arthritis affects people with psoriasis (itchy or sore scaly red and white skin patches).
  • Gout is a painful type of arthritis that happens when too much uric acid builds up in your body. It often starts in the big toe. Other joints can also be affected.
  • Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis of the spine that can cause stiffness and make it difficult to move and bend.

Pain, redness, warmth, and joint inflammation are common arthritis symptoms. You may not be able to move your joint as well as it should. Other symptoms could include fever, weight loss, breathing difficulties, or a rash.

Symptoms often get worse as you age. Some symptoms of arthritis may be signs of other illnesses.

A few things that might increase your chance of getting arthritis include:

  • Family history. You may be more likely to get certain types of arthritis if a member of your family has the disorder.
  • Age. The risk of getting many types of arthritis increases with age.
  • Sex. Certain types of arthritis are more common in women, while other types are more common in men.

Other factors that might increase your risk of getting arthritis include having a previous joint injury, obesity, or lupus.

To find out if you have arthritis, your health care provider may:

  • Ask you about your medical history, including your symptoms.
  • Do a physical exam.
  • Order blood tests or take x-rays.

Your provider may refer you to a rheumatologist (a doctor who specializes in arthritis care) for tests, diagnosis, and care.

Treatment depends on the type of arthritis you have. It may include medicine or surgery. Your provider will work with you to improve your symptoms and quality of life.

A few ways to help manage your symptoms include:

  • Hot or cold packs
  • Relaxation techniques
  • Use of splints, braces, and/or assistive devices

It sits within Bones, Joints and Muscles.

The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.

Research on Arthritis

11,487 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.

What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.

Research currently under way

Research already completed

Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.

Where to read more

Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.

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Diagnosis and Tests

Treatments and Therapies

Living With

Related Issues

Genetics

Statistics and Research

Clinical Trials

Medical subject headings

Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Arthritis. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.

This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Arthritis, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.