It is estimated that one in six people and one in three families are affected by arthritis in India.

Earlier people falling in the age group of 55-60 years were the ones affected by arthritis but today younger people are also getting affected by this condition.

Generally people ignore the pain in their joints thinking that the pain is due to an age factor. They take self medication in form of painkillers which provide relief from the pain but only for a while.

World Arthritis Day is observed on 12 October every year. This year it focuses on a very important aspect of living with a rheumatic disease with the theme 'Let's Work Together'. It is about professionals and families of people with rheumatoid arthritis coming together to support and embrace people with rheumatic diseases.

"Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints. It results in pain, swelling, stiffness and loss of function in the joints. About 1% of the world's population is afflicted by rheumatoid arthritis, women three times more often than men. Onset is most frequent between the ages of 40 and 50, but people of any age can be affected. It can be a disabling and painful condition, which can lead to substantial loss of functioning and mobility if not adequately treated," says Dr. Rohini Handa, Sr. Consultant, Rheumatology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals.

Arthritis is a more painful experience for women than men although the visible symptoms are the same. Women are affected more than the men thus impairing their quality of life. Sometimes the pain increases so much that the patient might be bed-ridden. "It has been observed that usually people suffering from nagging joint pains decide to take painkillers rather than visiting the doctor for a proper diagnosis," says, Dr. Rajeev K Sharma, Sr. Consultant, Orthopedics, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals.