Arthritis UK is the leading arthritis charity, changing lives through research, campaigning and support.
Support usThe word 'arthritis' is used to describe pain, swelling and stiffness in a joint or joints. Arthritis isn’t a single condition and there are several different types. It can affect people of all ages – even children.
What is arthritis?When you've been diagnosed with arthritis, you can feel lost and alone. You may have been waiting for months or years for answers. We'll guide you through your next steps with trusted information and sound advice.
Guide to diagnosisLiving with arthritis can be challenging and we understand what you're going through. We bring you the information, help and support you need to stay healthy, manage your condition, keep active, stay well at home and cope with your work and money.
Living with arthritis
Methotrexate is a type of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) often prescribed for treating arthritis. It’s used to reduce activity of the immune system in people who have certain types of arthritis and related conditions.
Diagnosed at just 5 years old, Madeleine has had both hips replaced along with both knees. She jokes that her medical team describes her as “the bionic woman”.
Stress can worsen autoimmune inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis. In conditions like these, the immune system, the body's natural defence system, is out of balance and can attack your joints, spine, and sometimes other organs too. Find out how.
Support life-changing research and vital services for people with arthritis this Christmas. Choose from a range of traditional, religious and cute designs, buy online and get fast delivery. Wrapping paper also available.
Whatever form of arthritis you are managing, flare-ups can be debilitating and difficult to deal with. Joint pain, swelling, fatigue and stiffness may strike suddenly and without any apparent trigger.
Read the news storyWhen people with arthritis experience pain, it can feel instinctive to rest. However, this may not always be the best approach. Evidence-based exercise programmes, like ESCAPE-Pain tell us why.
Read the news storyChronic pain affects all aspects of our lives, including our mental health. We funded the De-Stress project to learn more about how we might tackle pain-related distress and explore our findings.
Read the news storyA quick, accurate diagnosis is essential for people with arthritis - and so are personalised treatments that tackle arthritis before it does too much damage to the joints. That’s why we fund research that focuses on these priority areas.
Read the full storyResearchers have found that eating more fruit and vegetables and eating red meat less often reduces your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. Plus, a diet high in processed meats and low in fibre makes our immune system age more quickly.
Read the full story
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