One of the most effective mechanisms to obtain improvement in arthritis is the establishment of a suitable treatment as rapidly as possible. Today it is known that it's not a benign disease but severe and progressive, and have verified that the disease responds better to the treatment in the first weeks of appearance.

In words of Dr Manuel Romero, Associate at the Rheumatology Service of the Jaén Hospital Complex "at the present time it is known that the irreversible damage to the joints takes place in the early stages of the disease. Because of this it, good information must exist about the disease at the primary attention level with the objective of steering the specialist as rapidly as possible and avoid incapacity in the future".

Thus, Dr Romero explains that " It is believed that there is an optimal window to introduce the treatment; from the beginning of the first symptoms, until damage to the joints develops"; this period is considered to be in the vicinity of 3 months".

One of the main problems that presents/displays this disease is the difficulty to diagnose because of the inespecific initial symptoms, the confusion of the symptoms (pain and inflammation) with other clinical characteristics, the insidious course of the disease, the absence of specific diagnose tests, etc.

Thus, some studies base between 6 and 18 months the average time of delay, depending on the zone, to arrive to the diagnosis. Dr Romero points out that "in Spain rheumatology consultations are insufficient. This is a frequent and aggressive disease and, unfortunately, in many hospitals specific consultations for arthritis do not still exist ".

Against common belief, arthritis is not a disease of old people but of the middle aged. Dr Juan Carlos Hermosa, family doctor, explains that "it depends on the type of arthritis, but in general arthritis is more frequent in the middle life age. We can speak of patients between 25 and 40 years, of both sexes, although it is frequent in patients older than 60 years, mainly women". Thus, he says "we must reject the idea that they are diseases of advanced age people".

On the other hand, women are more affected by the disease. Dr Juan Carlos Hermosa comments "if we speak of rheumatoid arthritis there are 3 women affected for every man who presents/displays the disease".