Back and neck pain
Back and neck pain are very common and usually get better within a few weeks. For some people the pain lasts longer and needs more support.
Health conditions
Musculoskeletal conditions
Guides to conditions that affect your bones, joints and muscles, including arthritis, back pain and fibromyalgia.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome causes tingling, numbness and pain in the hand and fingers. It often gets better with simple treatment.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body, extreme tiredness, poor sleep and problems with memory and concentration. It is real, it is common, and there are things that help.
Gout
Gout is a type of arthritis that causes sudden, very painful joints. With the right long-term treatment, most people can stop having attacks.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis in the UK. It makes joints painful and stiff, most often the knees, hips and hands. There is a lot you can do to ease it.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis makes bones weaker and more likely to break. It has no symptoms until a bone breaks, but treatment can greatly lower the risk.
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term condition where the immune system attacks the joints. Early treatment can protect joints and control symptoms.
About these conditions
Conditions that affect the bones, joints and muscles are known as musculoskeletal conditions. They are the biggest cause of pain and disability in the UK, and affect around 1 in 3 people. They can make it hard to move, work, sleep and look after yourself.
Help that applies to many conditions
- Benefits are based on how a condition affects you, not on its name. If you need help with everyday tasks or getting around, try our PIP points self-check, or the Attendance Allowance check if you are over State Pension age.
- If you cannot work because of your health, read about New Style ESA and the Universal Credit health element.
- You may be protected at work. Under the Equality Act 2010, a condition that has a substantial, long-term effect on your daily life can count as a disability, which means your employer must consider reasonable adjustments.
- Help with health costs. Some conditions give you free prescriptions in England, and prescriptions are free for everyone in Wales. Try our NHS health costs check.
- Your GP can review your treatment, refer you to specialists and tell you about local support.