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Inflammatory arthritis can affect ALL ages. Over 750,000 people across the UK and approximately 20 million globally live with IA.

Inflammatory arthritis

Our immune systems are very important. One of its main goals is to protect us from infection. When it is activated, it can cause pain and swelling, such as what we see if we get a bad cold, or an infected abrasion or cut on our body. In autoimmune diseases for reasons which are unknown, the body overreacts and attacks healthy or normal parts of our bodies.

Inflammatory arthritis is a group of autoimmune diseases, where the immune system overreacts and attacks healthy tissues in the joints causing pain, swelling and stiffness. Other parts of the body can also be affected including skin, lungs, eyes and blood vessels. Treatment can help manage the symptoms and prevent the disease from worsening. Currently there is no cure for these diseases and if left untreated permanent joint/organ damage can occur.

Types of IA

Types of inflammatory arthritis include:

  • Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Psoriatic arthritis
  • Ankylosing spondylitis
  • Axial spondyloarthropathy
  • Gout
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, lupus)
  • Reactive arthritis: A type of inflammatory arthritis that can be triggered by an infection.
  • Scleroderma
  • Inflammatory bowel disease related arthritis
  • Adult-onset Still’s disease

Main symptoms

  • Swelling: Inflammation, redness and puffiness around the joints
  • Joint pain: Tenderness and pain in and around the joints, especially in the morning or after periods of inactivity.
  • Warm joints: Feeling warm to touch
  • Lower back pain: Pain
  • Stiffness: Difficulty moving joints, especially in the morning.
  • Fatigue: Feeling of exhaustion, more than tiredness.

Other symptoms can include digestive problems (e.g. poor appetite, diarrhoea), psoriasis (autoimmune disease that cause scaly, itchy and dry patches of skin) and dry and sore eyes.

Someone holding their red knee to show a painful knee
Joints warm to touch
The shadow of a person resting their palm on their head
Fatigue

Treatment

Medication is a vital part of treatment for inflammatory arthritis. Physical activity, a healthy lifestyle and looking after your well being will help manage symptoms, and are usually included as part of a whole person management programme.

The aim of medication is to reduce inflammation and disease activity, and are grouped in the following categories:

  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories: Reduce pain and inflammation i.e. ibuprofen, naproxen, celecoxib.
  • Glucocorticoids: Reduce inflammation, pain and joint damage, taken as oral tablets or injections.
  • Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDS): Help slow the progression of the disease, protect joints and tissues from permanent damage. There are three subgroups:
    • Conventional DMARDs e.g., Methotrexate, Sulfasalazine, hydroxychloroquine
    • Biologic DMARDS: Target different parts of the immune system to block chemicals in the blood that activate the immune system to attack joints/tissue.
    • Targeted synthetic DMARDS e.g., Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors: Reduce inflammation by blocking the action of Janus kinases enzymes (a family of proteins that are part of the immune system).
Walking is a great way to exercise
Eating a healthy well-balanced diet
Look after your wellbeing

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    Inflammatory Arthritis UK is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 1211390. 

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