The aches and pains caused by Father Time as we grow older are an unwanted, but natural phenomenon that we can do little to avoid.  Pain is the body's alarm system that gives us warning signs about our health to tell us something may be wrong.  So it’s important to recognize when Father Time’s minor aches and pains may be something more.  Especially if the aches, pains and stiffness are in your joints as this may actually a warning sign for the leading cause of disability among U.S. adults: arthritis.

As many as 43 million people in the United States have some form of arthritis or joint inflammation. It is a major cause of lost work time and serious disability for many people. Although arthritis is mainly a disease of adults, children may also have it.

Most kinds of arthritis cause pain, stiffness and swelling in your joints. You might have trouble moving around.  Some kinds of arthritis can affect different parts of your body. So, along with the arthritis, you may experience the following (which may also be signs of other illnesses): fevers, weight loss, breathing difficulties and rashes.

The warning signs to be aware of that are indicative of arthritis are:

• Swelling in one or more joints,
• Stiffness around the joints that lasts for at least one hour in the early morning,
• Constant or recurring pain or tenderness in a joint,
• Difficulty using or moving a joint normally,
• Warmth and redness in a joint.

If left undiagnosed and untreated, arthritis can cause irreversible damage to the joints.  So if any one of these symptoms lasts longer than two weeks, you should contact your regular doctor or a doctor who specializes in arthritis (a rheumatologist).

Diagnosing arthritis often includes a physical exam and questions about the history of your symptoms.  Also the doctor may take x-rays and order blood and other laboratory tests.  This will help to determine the extent of damage to the joint, identify the type of arthritis and help to develop an appropriate treatment plan.

Dealing with pain can be the hardest part of having arthritis, but you can learn to manage it and its impact on your life, which is essential to enhance your quality of life and sense of well-being.