Arthritis is the inflammation of joints in your body. The most common way that arthritis presents itself is through joint pain. There are many symptoms, causes, and risk factors of arthritis that we should be careful of. If we experience any of these, we should see a doctor.

Symptoms
Arthritis symptoms are easy to notice, and if these persist for a long time, you must visit a doctor. If left untreated for a long time, it can have harmful effects. Some common signs of arthritis include:

• Pain in joints
• Redness around the area
• Swelling in the affected area
• Restricted movement; you find your joints to be stiff and it hurts when you try to move them
• Joints lack their full range of motion

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you may also experience fatigue and loss of appetite because your immune system attacks your body.

Causes

• Cartilage
  Cartilage is a firm yet flexible tissue inside the joints of our body. This tissue absorbs shocks or pressure and protects our joints. This wear-and-tear to the cartilage can weaken the joints and cause pain and restricted movement. This weakening of the joints can happen over several years or suddenly due to an infection or injury. This can lead to people developing osteoarthritis, a very common type of disease.

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
  RA is also an extremely common type of arthritis. This is an autoimmune disease, and it happens when the body’s immune system attacks the tissues in the body. This type of disease goes after a soft tissue that generally nourishes your cartilage. During RA, the soft tissue is attacked, and eventually, it can also destroy the bone inside the joint.

Risk factors
The risks vary according to the forms of arthritis. Some risks are non-modifiable, whereas some can be prevented or controlled. The risk factors include the following:

• Age
  As you grow older, you become more vulnerable to different types of arthritis, as your joints become weak
• Gender
  Studies show that almost 60% of arthritis patients are women
• Genetic
  Some genes are also associated with a high risk of contracting arthritis
• Obesity
  If you are overweight, you can be at risk of developing osteoarthritis as it puts pressure on your joints
• Injuries
  A severe injury to a joint can become the reason for arthritis, regardless of age
• Infection
  An underlying infection can affect the joints and make them weak, thus leaving you exposed to arthritis
• Diet
  It is important to maintain a healthy weight to prevent the onset of arthritis.

These are some of the symptoms, causes, and risk factors of arthritis, and if we maintain a healthy lifestyle, we can avoid getting the disease altogether.