How Functional Medicine Supports People Living with Arthritis
Arthritis is often thought of as a condition that comes with age, but the truth is it can develop at any time. According to Arthritis UK, more than 10 million adults, young people and children in the UK live with arthritis – experiencing stiff joints, persistent pain, and reduced mobility.
What if arthritis isn’t just about the joints themselves, but reflects deeper processes happening within the body? That’s what functional medicine can help determine.
This May, as we mark Arthritis Awareness Month, we explore the role of functional medicine in supporting people living with arthritis.
Looking beyond the joints
Conventional treatment for arthritis is essential, particularly when it comes to managing pain. Medications, physiotherapy, and specialist care all play a central role, and functional medicine works alongside these – not in place of them.
What it can do is help uncover what may be contributing to inflammation in the first place.
Conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are not purely mechanical problems. They involve the immune system, inflammatory pathways, and often wider metabolic factors. Addressing these underlying drivers as part of an integrated approach may help support how symptoms are experienced alongside standard care.
Functional medicine and the inflammatory picture
At the centre of many forms of arthritis is chronic inflammation. The immune system becomes overactive or dysregulated, leading to ongoing joint irritation and tissue damage.
Functional medicine focuses on identifying what may be contributing to that inflammatory load – which can include diet, gut health, stress, sleep quality, environmental exposures, and underlying metabolic imbalance.
For some people, there may be food sensitivities or gut-related factors influencing immune activity. For others, chronic stress or poor sleep may be playing a more significant role.
Reducing the overall inflammatory burden on the body may, as part of a broader treatment plan, help support joint health alongside conventional care.
What does the research say?
A study published in PLoS One (Droz et al., 2020, Cleveland Clinic), found that a functional medicine programme used alongside standard care was associated with statistically significant improvements in pain scores, physical health, and mental health in a group of 54 patients with RA or PsA who had not seen sufficient improvement from conventional treatment alone. The study was retrospective and relatively small, so its findings should be interpreted with appropriate caution. However, it does provide useful early evidence for functional medicine as an adjunctive approach.
A separate randomised study published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (Sköldstam et al., 2003) found that certain patients with rheumatoid arthritis who followed a Mediterranean-style diet experienced reductions in inflammatory activity, improved physical function, and increased vitality.
Taken together, these findings suggest that while medication is often necessary and primary, lifestyle and nutritional strategies may provide meaningful additional support.
Personalised support
There is no single diet or lifestyle plan that works for everyone with arthritis. That’s why a personalised approach is central to functional medicine.
For some people, focusing on anti-inflammatory nutrition can make a noticeable difference. For others, addressing gut health or correcting nutrient deficiencies may be more relevant. Exercise, sleep, and stress management are all equally important considerations.
Dr Grosser takes a whole-body approach to chronic conditions like arthritis. This includes assessing metabolic health, inflammatory markers, and hormone balance, to build a clearer picture of what may be driving inflammation.
Chronic inflammation doesn’t just affect joints – it also plays a role in cardiovascular disease and other long-term health risks.
An integrative consultation with Dr Grosser is intended to complement, not replace, the care of your GP or specialist. It can help explore the underlying drivers of inflammation and develop a personalised plan to support both joint health and overall wellbeing.
To find out more or to book a consultation, visit kentcardio.com/book/
