What is it?
The word “arthritis” is a medical term that literally means joint inflammation; but “arthritis” also refers to a group of over one hundred different diseases. Arthritis affects not only the joints but sometimes other parts of the body—like the skin, the soft tissues around a joint (i.e., muscles, ligaments and tendons), and even internal organs such as the heart, lungs and blood vessels. Arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the United States.

There are four important warning signs that should alert you to talk to a health care provider.
1) Pain—pain from arthritis can be constant or it may come and go. It may occur when at rest or while moving. Pain may be in one part of the body or in many different parts.
2) Swelling—some type of arthritis cause the skin over the affected joint to become red and become swollen, feeling warm to the touch.
3) Stiffness—joints may feel stiff, especially when waking up in the morning or after sitting at a desk or riding in a car for a long time.
4) Difficulty moving a joint—this can make it difficult to do the activities that you normally do every day.

What causes it?
There are more than 100 different types of arthritis and related conditions. The cause of most types of arthritis is unknown. Scientists are studying several major factors that are thought to be important in arthritis. These factors include: genetic factors one inherits from one’s parents; the role of inflammation and the immune system in causing joint damage; and lifestyle factors, including injury to the joints. The importance of these factors is different for every type of arthritis.

How does it affect my job?
Working successfully with arthritis depends greatly on having proper management of the disease. Successful disease management includes care from an experienced doctor, working with your health-care team to plan a treatment program of proper medication and exercise, and self-management skills. Being flexible and creative can help you balance work responsibilities with the demands of arthritis. By figuring out your energy patterns during the day and what kind of activities hurt or help, you can arrange your work schedule to keep arthritis under control.

Some ways to do this include:

• Maintaining a positive attitude.
• Maintaining a schedule. Go to bed at a regular time and get enough rest to carry you through the next day.
• Creating an efficient work environment. Arrange the work area to limit the amount of lifting, reaching, carrying, holding or walking necessary.
• Varying activities periodically to avoid sitting in one position or doing too much repetitive activity for too long.
• Setting priorities and pacing yourself. List the tasks you must do in order of importance, and do the most important ones while you are feeling the strongest and most energetic.

You may want to seek help from an occupational therapist -- a health professional trained to help people reach their maximum level of function and independence in daily life. Ask your therapist to help you figure out the physical skills involved in specific jobs and what equipment or adaptations are available to help you do the job more easily, so you make informed decisions.

Dealing with Work Relationships
Co-workers who don’t know about your arthritis can become resentful if they feel you are not doing your share of the work. They may get annoyed if they are often asked to help out or to make up for you when you miss work if they do not know the reason. Even people who do know about your arthritis may think of it as "just aches and pains." Arthritis and related conditions are often "invisible" diseases, which makes them more difficult to explain. Co-workers may feel you are making a fuss about nothing and getting special treatment you don’t deserve. These attitudes can trigger anger on both sides.

You may worry that you will be treated differently or denied opportunities if people know you have arthritis. You may be tempted to ignore your body’s warnings or may work extra hard to cover up the fact that you have arthritis.

Plan carefully how and when to discuss your arthritis with co-workers or supervisors. Education can help change their perceptions and expectations of people with arthritis. Begin by researching all the changes that could make your job as productive as possible.

As you talk with your employer, realize that subtle discrimination in some companies may still exist, especially when it comes to promotions. Also, some unions may have a problem with allowing workers with disabilities to take jobs that traditionally have been reserved as rewards for workers with seniority. To prevent these types of problems, your company’s personnel manager may ask the union’s help in working out a solution when an accommodation such as a job change or job restructuring is needed.

The Arthritis Foundation’s free brochure, Arthritis in the Workplace, has information about how to manage your arthritis on the job and includes tips for safety, success, talking with co-workers and getting assistance. The brochure also covers basic rights as an employee.

Can it be prevented or treated?
Prevention
There are steps you can take to reduce your risk for getting certain types of arthritis or to reduce disability if you already have arthritis. It is important to stay at your recommended weight, especially as you get older. People who are overweight are more at risk for osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis. Extra weight increases your risk for getting OA in the knees and possibly in the hips. This is especially true for women. If you are already overweight, research shows that middle-aged and older women of average height who lose 11 pounds or more will decrease the risk of developing knee OA by half over time. To lose weight, exercise and eat foods low in calories. If you’re having trouble with weight control, ask your doctor or a registered dietitian for help.

Joint injuries caused by accidents, injuries or overuse can increase your risk for OA. Keeping the muscles around joints strong—especially the thigh muscles that support the knee—will help prevent injury.

If you already have arthritis, studies show that exercise helps reduce the pain and fatigue of many different kinds of arthritis and related diseases. Exercise keeps you moving, working and doing daily activities that help you remain independent.

Treatment
Before beginning your treatment, your doctor will diagnose which type of arthritis or related condition you have. There are many things that help reduce pain, relieve stiffness and keep you moving. Your care may involve more than one kind of treatment. Your doctor may prescribe medications, but there are many things you can do on your own to help manage pain and fatigue and to move easier.

Finding the right treatment for you may take time. Be sure to let your doctor know if a treatment is not working. Your treatment may change as your arthritis changes. Treatments for arthritis can be divided into several categories:

1) medication
2) exercise
3) complementary therapies
4) heat and cold
5) pacing activities
6) joint protection
7) surgery
8) self-care skills.

The Arthritis Foundation’s free brochure, Arthritis Answers, discusses the facts about arthritis and how it can affect you.