Playing the piano. Carrying your grandkids on your shoulders.
Going for long walks or hikes. Arthritis pain shouldn’t get in the
way of the life you want to live. Learn about arthritis causes,
symptoms, and how to manage your pain, so you may finally find
relief.
Arthritis isn’t just “achy joints,” but an umbrella term for more than 100 conditions that cause inflammation and damage where your bones meet.
Any joint can technically get arthritis. That said, the most common places you’ll feel it are in the hands, wrists, shoulders, lower back, hips, knees, feet, or ankles. In short, it’s the joints that carry either a lot of weight or are used constantly throughout the day. Symptoms usually include stiffness, swelling, tenderness, or pain in your joints that gets worse with activity or, in some cases, when you’re sleeping.
Arthritis may have a real impact on your daily life. It changes how your body moves and feels as you do the things you love. While arthritis doesn’t have a cure, the right treatment plan may help you manage symptoms and keep moving with confidence in daily life.
This is the most common arthritis overall. It happens when a joint’s cartilage (the protective tissue that cushions your bones) wears down over time, leading to pain, stiffness, and reduced flexibility.
This one’s the most common autoimmune arthritis. Your immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of your joints, causing inflammation, swelling, and joint damage. In some cases it may also damage other parts of your body, like your lungs or heart.
Psoriasis is a condition that leads to thick, scaly patches on your skin and also often causes its own type of arthritis, resulting in pain and swelling in your joints. Like rheumatoid arthritis, it’s caused by an issue with your immune system.
Gout is an inflammatory arthritis. It’s caused by a buildup of uric acid crystals in your joints after eating foods high in “purines,” like steak or shrimp. It often leads to sudden, severe pain and swelling, usually in your big toe.
Age is one of the biggest risk factors for arthritis, simply because your joints take a beating over the years. Your cartilage gets more vulnerable. Muscles around your joints may weaken, and your joints may have less lubrication to reduce friction. That’s why arthritis becomes much more common as people hit middle age and beyond.
Athletes and people with past joint injuries often see arthritis show up earlier than others. Why? Because past injuries like torn ligaments or broken bones sometimes make it difficult for the joint to work the way it used to. That creates more opportunities for the protective cartilage to wear down and lead to arthritis.
Genetics likely play a role in most, if not all, types of arthritis. That doesn’t mean your parents or grandparents directly pass the condition on to you, but you may inherit joints or an immune system that are more susceptible. Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis in particular are commonly known to run in families.
Carrying extra weight puts more stress on the joints that hold you up, like the knees, hips, and lower back. But it’s not just the pressure: body fat also produces chemicals that may add to the inflammation in your joints. That makes weight loss a great way to remove pressure on your joints, relieve inflammation, and lower your risk of developing arthritis.
In some types of arthritis, like rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis, the problem isn’t wear-and-tear at all. It’s your immune system attacking healthy joints by mistake. This creates swelling, pain, and long-term damage if it isn’t treated. Doctors aren’t completely sure why the immune system misfires, but things like genetics and hormones seem to play a role.
Once in a while, an infection may increase your risk of arthritis. Bacteria or viruses may directly impact the joints or confuse the immune system into continuing to fight even after the infection is gone (called reactive arthritis). Sometimes an infection may even spread directly into a joint and cause septic arthritis, which is painful, serious, and needs to be treated quickly.
27.9% of Americans aged 20 or older have been diagnosed with arthritis1
49.6% of people with arthritis have osteoarthritis specifically2
2-3X as likely for women to get rheumatoid arthritis than men3
1 in 3 people with psoriasis will also develop psoriatic arthritis3
Age is the strongest risk factor for arthritis. As you get older, your joints naturally experience more wear and tear, cartilage thins, and the muscles that support your joints weaken. This makes conditions like osteoarthritis much more common after age 45.
Generally speaking, women are more likely than men to develop arthritis, especially rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Hormones may play a role, since lower estrogen levels after menopause have been shown to potentially increase inflammation. That said, women also live longer than men, giving their bodies more time and opportunities to wear down.
Arthritis tends to run in families. If your parents or grandparents had rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis, for example, your chances of developing the same condition are higher. While genetics are a factor, lifestyle and environmental influences also shape your risk, giving you opportunities to take control.
The more weight your body carries, the more strain you’ll feel in your knees, hips, and spine. Body fat also produces chemicals that may increase inflammation. Together, that strain and inflammation may take a toll on your joints over time, increasing your chances of getting arthritis.
Ever injure your joint in a car accident, sport, or from repetitive stress at work? Joint injuries increase your risk of arthritis because of how they change the way the joint works, leaving it more vulnerable to wear and tear. It’s one of the reasons arthritis will often show up in the same spots that were injured years before.
Smoking is strongly linked to rheumatoid arthritis, especially in people with a family history of the condition. One reason is smoking increases inflammation across the body. Another is smoking promotes the production of certain antibodies that are often found in people with rheumatoid arthritis.
Arthritis can affect many parts of life. It may make movement, work, and the activities you enjoy, like playing music, going for walks, or taking a hike, feel more difficult. Symptoms differ depending on the type of arthritis, but with the right support they do not have to control your daily life.
Having arthritis doesn’t mean you have to stop living your life or doing the activities you enjoy. With the right treatment plan, many people are able to manage their pain and find the relief they need to keep doing the things they love.
Chiropractic care may be a great option for managing and relieving your pain if it’s caused by osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Routine visits are an effective alternative to prescription or over-the-counter pain medications (OTCs), which are commonly prescribed to help patients manage their pain.
Licensed chiropractors like ours deliver a gentle, non-invasive therapy known as a chiropractic adjustment. Adjustments reduce the restriction or misalignment of joints throughout your body, helping reduce inflammation and improve function of both the affected joint and your nervous system. By increasing joint mobility and improving your spinal health, your body may be able to better manage arthritis symptoms.
To help you find relief, chiropractic care identifies and addresses:
There are many potential health benefits of chiropractic care when you have arthritis, including:
Walk in for quality, affordable care that fits your schedule. Enjoy hassle-free visits and same-day relief.
3555 Rosecrans St, Suite #110a
San Diego, CA 92110
Today: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Closed for Lunch: 2 PM - 2:45 PM
3555 Rosecrans St, Suite #110a
San Diego, CA 92110
Today: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Closed for Lunch: 2 PM - 2:45 PM
3555 Rosecrans St, Suite #110a
San Diego, CA 92110
Today: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Closed for Lunch: 2 PM - 2:45 PM
3555 Rosecrans St, Suite #110a
San Diego, CA 92110
Today: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Closed for Lunch: 2 PM - 2:45 PM
3555 Rosecrans St, Suite #110a
San Diego, CA 92110
Today: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Closed for Lunch: 2 PM - 2:45 PM
3555 Rosecrans St, Suite #110a
San Diego, CA 92110
Today: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Closed for Lunch: 2 PM - 2:45 PM
The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and gout. Osteoarthritis happens when the cartilage in your joints wears down over time. Rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis are autoimmune conditions where your immune system mistakenly attacks your joints. Lastly, gout is caused by eating foods high in purines (think beef or seafood), which causes a build up of uric acid crystals in a joint, most often in the big toe.
Stage 1 of rheumatoid arthritis is mostly inflammation in the joints, which may make them feel swollen or stiff. Stage 2 is when cartilage starts getting damaged, making it harder to move. Stage 3 may include more serious joint damage, deformities, and chronic pain. Stage 4 is the most severe. Although the inflammation is gone, your joints have been seriously damaged and will keep getting worse, causing severe pain, swelling, stiffness, and reduced movement. Early diagnosis and treatment are the best way to keep your arthritis from progressing that far!
Yes, family history can play a role. If your parents or grandparents had arthritis, especially rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis, your risk is higher. But it’s important to know they aren’t actually passing the condition on to you directly. Instead, you just may inherit joints that are more prone to damage or an immune system that’s more susceptible to autoimmune issues. Lifestyle, injuries, and other factors also matter, so there’s still a lot you may do to lower your risk.
To improve your daily life with arthritis, you should consider a mix of exercise, healthy habits, and treatment. Low-impact activities like walking, swimming, or stretching help keep your joints moving and your muscles strong. Maintaining good posture while sitting, standing, and walking may help reduce strain. Hot and cold therapy is a great at-home treatment option, and chiropractic care, physical therapy, and medication may also help you manage pain.
When your joints are working like they should, movement is a smooth, easy process. But arthritis introduces inflammation, joint damage, and stress on nearby muscles and tissues, causing pain. In osteoarthritis, your bones rub together as cartilage wears thin. As for rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis, your immune system actually attacks the joints, causing swelling, tenderness, and fatigue.
While arthritis can’t be reversed, you may slow it down. Staying active, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding smoking, and doing joint-friendly exercises reduce stress on your joints. Early diagnosis and treatment (like medications, chiropractic care, or knee braces for osteoarthritis) help prevent more damage. Just sure to check in regularly with your doctor or chiropractor to make sure you have a plan and are sticking to it.
Yes! Many people with arthritis lead full, active lives. Treatments like low-impact exercise, medications, chiropractic care, physical therapy, and lifestyle changes may control your pain and keep you moving. People often continue to work, enjoy their hobbies, and stay independent. The key is to stay proactive and get a treatment plan tailored to you.
Nope! Cracking your knuckles doesn’t cause arthritis. The popping sound comes from gas bubbles in the joint fluid collapsing, not from damage to your cartilage. Forceful or frequent cracking might irritate surrounding tissues, but it won’t make arthritis develop.
No, arthritis isn’t curable, but it’s something you may be able to manage. Treatments focus on reducing pain, improving movement, and slowing any progression. This includes medications, chiropractic care, physical therapy, lifestyle changes, and sometimes surgery. With the right plan, many people are able to manage their arthritis and continue living the life they want.
Doctors figure out if you have arthritis through a physical exam, looking at your medical history, imaging tests, and sometimes blood work. They look for swelling, tenderness, and reduced movement in your joints. X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans may be used to identify changes in your bones or cartilage loss. Blood tests may be used to help identify issues related to the immune system, like rheumatoid arthritis.
Heat works well for many as an at-home treatment for arthritis pain. Warm compresses, heating pads, and warm baths may help relax your muscles, increase circulation, and reduce joint stiffness. It works especially well before an activity to loosen joints. For swelling or inflammation, cold therapy may be more effective, so many people alternate heat and cold for best results.
If you have arthritis, your treatment plan may include medications, exercise, chiropractic care, physical therapy, or lifestyle changes. Pain relievers and anti-inflammatories may help you better manage your symptoms. Disease-modifying drugs are sometimes used to calm and slow down rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and others. Exercise helps keep your joints flexible and muscles strong. Severe cases may require surgery, such as a joint replacement. But to know the right treatment plan for you, it’s important to meet with your doctor or chiropractor.
Over the course of Suzanne’s 25-year dancing career, she racked up countless injuries. Sprains. Tears. Dislocations. And more. Now those old injuries were coming back to haunt her, causing pain in her everyday life. She needed help. After trying The Joint Chiropractic, she never looked back. Weekly ten-minute visits have kept her aligned, eased her pain, and given her the chance to strengthen her muscles again. Today, she enjoys the same full range of motion she once had as a dancer, without pain slowing her down.
1 Foster, A. L., Boring, M. A., Lites, T. D., Croft, J. E., Odom, E. L., & Fallon, E. A. (2025). Distribution of arthritis subtypes among adults with arthritis in the United States, 2017–March 2020. Preventing Chronic Disease, 22. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd22.240393
2 Gerosa, M., De Angelis, V., Riboldi, P., & Meroni, P. (2008). Rheumatoid arthritis: A female challenge. Women’s Health, 4(2), 195–201. https://doi.org/10.2217/17455057.4.2.195
3 Van Hal, T. W., Mulder, M. L. M., Wenink, M. H., Pasch, M. C., Van den Hoogen, F. H. J., Van den Reek, J. M. P. A., & De Jong, E. M. G. J. (2022). Discovery of psoriatic arthritis in psoriasis patients for early rheumatological referral (dapper) study: A prospective observational cohort. Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 102. https://doi.org/10.2340/actadv.v102.2225
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