Arthritis can affect anyone regardless of age, sex, or race, although many people who are affected won’t have persistent or severe symptoms. Almost all of the 56,300 households in the Borders have, or will have, someone with arthritis.
The different types of musculoskeletal conditions fall into five main groups:
- inflammatory arthritis
- degenerative or mechanical arthritis
- soft tissue musculoskeletal pain
- back pain
- connective tissue disease (CTD)
What are the symptoms of arthritis?
Different types of arthritis can cause a wide range of symptoms, but you should see a doctor if any of the following apply to you:
- The pain isn’t linked to an injury or persists for longer than a week.
- Your joint has become swollen, and isn’t linked to an injury.
- You also feel unwell or have a fever.
- You’re unable to do your everyday tasks due to joint or muscle pain.
- Your back hurts after lifting something heavy and taking pain killers, applying heat
and trying to stay active for a day or so hasn’t helped. - You experience swelling, stiffness or a painful ‘squeeze’ in your joints.
More detailed information is available at Versus Arthritis. For more details, click here
all of us against arthritis
Scottish Borders Versus Arthritis 