Understanding Arthritis

Date: 06/24/25

Arthritis is a term that refers to joint pain and joint disease. It is important to understand the signs of arthritis and when to see a doctor about joint problems.

Arthritis can occur in almost every joint in your body, such as your fingers, hands, hips, knees, elbow or lower back. Knowing which joints are hurting the most can help your doctor decide if you have arthritis or another condition.

Some of the symptoms of arthritis include:

Joint pain, swelling or stiffness in one or more joints that doesn’t go away.
Joints that are red or warm to the touch.
Difficulty moving a joint or doing daily activities.

If you experience these symptoms frequently, it may be time to see your doctor. Make sure to note when they occur and how long it lasts. Pain or stiffness might be worse when you wake up in the morning or after you’ve been sitting down for a long time.

There are some changes to your everyday routine that can help with joint pain:

Keep your joints flexible. Try stretching daily and move your joints through their full range of motion.
Maintain a good posture.
Balance activity and rest. Don’t do strenuous exercise, but make sure to get up and walk around frequently.

Find out more about arthritis and how to manage it by watching this Superior video or visiting the resources below: