The Facts About Arthritis
- 70 million Americans (1 in 3 adults) suffer from some form of Arthritis, twice as many as in 1985.
- More than half those affected by arthritis are under age 65.
- Arthritis is one of the most prevalent chronic health problems and the leading cause of disability among Americans over age 15.
- Arthritis strikes women more often than men; in 2002, 41.0 million women, 28.9 million men.
- Arthritis affects nearly 300,000 children.
- Arthritis is second only to heart disease as a cause of work disability.
- Arthritis results in 39 million doctor visits and more than 500,000 hospitalizations annually.
- Arthritis refers to more than 100 different diseases that affect areas in and around the joints.
Arthritis causes pain, loss of movement and sometimes swelling in several parts of the body, not just the joints. Some types of arthritis are:
- Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease in which the cartilage that covers the ends of the bones in the joint deteriorates, causing pain and loss of movement as bone begins to rub against bone. It is the most prevalent form of arthritis.
- Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease in which the joint lining becomes inflamed as part of the body's immune system activity. Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most serious and disabling types, affecting mostly women.
- Gout, which affects mostly men. It is usually the result of a defect in body chemistry. This very painful condition most often attacks small joints, especially the big toe. Gout can almost always be controlled with medication and changes in diet.
- Juvenile arthritis, a general term for all types of arthritis that occur in children. Children may develop juvenile rheumatoid arthritis or childhood forms of lupus, ankylosing spondylitis or other types of arthritis.
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) a serious disorder that can inflame and damage joints and other connective tissues throughout the body.
- Ankylosing spondylitis, a type of arthritis that affects the spine. Inflammation causes the bones of the spine to grow together.
- Scleroderma, a disease of the body's connective tissue that causes a thickening and hardening of the skin.
- Fibromyalgia, in which widespread pain affects the muscles and attachments to the bones. It affects mostly women.
