Arthritis

It is a common misconception that arthritis is a disease that affects the geriatric population. Arthritis is an umbrella term for over 100 diseases some of which affect children as well as adults. The term arthritis can be literally means inflammation of the joints. It is estimated that approximately one in six people have a specific type of arthritis. Arthritis often becomes more pronounced, but is not limited to, those over the age of forty five. Currently more than 43 million Americans have been diagnosed with some form of arthritis. Arthritis affects twice as many women as it does men. Arthritis is the leading cause of employee absenteeism and is estimated to cost 6.5 billion dollars a year in lost wages and medical bills. A person who suffers from arthritis will visit their physician on an average of eight times per year. Arthritis, in all its forms, is a concern for everyone. So how much do you know about it?

Some Common Types of Arthritis

• Osteoarthritis- is the most common form of arthritis diagnosed by health care professionals. It usually occurs in those people over the age of 70. Although there is no cure for osteoarthritis medical research indicates the sooner the diagnosis is made and treatment begins the better the outcome will be. Osteoarthritis can attack any joint in the body but it is most commonly found in joints that weight bear. For example, the spine, hips, knees and feet are often the areas affected by osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis can also occur in non-weight bearing joints such as the fingers. If any pain, stiffness or swelling is noted in any of these joints a visit to the family physician is a good idea.