People with arthritis are being urged to always consult a doctor before consuming alcohol if they are taking any prescribed medications.

Arthritis refers to an inflammation of the joints. There are over 100 types and the condition affects some 840,000 people nationwide.

According to Arthritis Ireland (AI), some arthritis medications can be harmful to the liver and consuming alcohol on top of this could lead to serious liver damage.

The charity acknowledged that some research has shown that drinking the equivalent of one glass of an alcoholic beverage a day can lower the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis - one of the most common types of arthritis.

However, it emphasised that consuming alcohol can become ‘quite dangerous' once you have the condition....