 crucial data about arthritis what is arthritis the word arthritis actually means joint inflammation and that is how clinicians and biomedical researchers use it in the public health world however arthritis is used as a shorthand term for arthritis and other rheumatic conditions a label for the more than 100 rheumatic diseases and conditions that affect joints the tissues that surround joints and other connective tissue the pattern severity and location of symptoms can vary depending on the specific form of the disease typically rheumatic conditions are characterized by pain and stiffness in and around one or more joints the symptoms can develop gradually or suddenly certain rheumatic conditions can also involve the immune system and various internal organs of the body who is at risk for arthritis certain factors are associated with a greater risk of arthritis some of these risk factors are modifiable while others are not nonmodifiable risk factors o age the risk of developing most types of arthritis increases with age o gender most types of arthritis are more common in women accounting for 60 of all cases gout is more common in men o genetic genes have been identified that are associated with a higher risk of certain types of arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis ra and systemic lupus erythematosus sle modifiable risk factors o overweight and obesity excess weight can contribute to both the onset and progression of knee osteoarthritis o joint injuries damage to a joint can contribute to the development of osteoarthritis in that joint o infection many microbial agents can infect joints and potentially cause the development of various forms of arthritis o occupation certain occupations involving repetitive knee bending are associated with osteoarthritis of the knee what causes arthritis elevated uric acid levels cause gout and specific infections can cause arthritis of a joint the causes of many of the other forms of arthritis are unknown scientists are studying the role of factors such as genetics lifestyle and environment on the various types of arthritis what are the most common types of arthritis the most common form of arthritis in the unites states is osteoarthritis followed by gout fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis what are the symptoms of arthritis the pattern and location of symptoms can vary depending on the types of arthritis generally people with arthritis feel pain and stiffness in and around one or more joints the onset of arthritis symptoms can develop gradually or suddenly arthritis is most often a chronic disease so symptoms may come and go or persist over time what should i do if i think i have arthritis if you have pain stiffness or swelling in or around one or more of your joints talk to your doctor it is important to keep in mind that there are many forms of arthritis the specific diagnosis of the type of arthritis you have is necessary to direct the proper treatment although there is no cure for most types of arthritis early diagnosis and appropriate management are important especially for inflammatory types of arthritis for example early use of diseasemodifying drugs can affect the course of rheumatoid arthritis an early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can make a difference in pain and joint damage the earlier you understand your arthritis the earlier you can start managing your disease and making healthy lifestyle changes to help your arthritis can i prevent arthritis depending on the form of arthritis there are steps that can be taken to reduce your risk of arthritis maintaining an appropriate body weight has been shown to decrease the risk of developing osteoarthritis and gout protecting your joints from injuries or overuse can reduce the risk of osteoarthritis how is arthritis diagnosed diagnosing arthritis often includes a detailed medical history of current and past symptoms physical examination xrays and blood work to determine the type of arthritis it is possible to have more than one form of arthritis at the same time what are the treatments for arthritis the focus of treatment for arthritis is to control pain minimize joint damage and to improve or maintain function and quality of life according to the american college of rheumatology the treatment of arthritis might involve the following o medication o nonpharmacologic therapies physical or occupational therapy splints or joint assistive aids patient education and support weight loss o surgery in conjunction with medical treatment selfmanagement of arthritis pain and symptoms is very important as well the arthritis selfhelp course is an effective selfmanagement education program for people with arthritis developed by dr kate lorig of stanford university the course helps people learn and practice the different skills needed to build an individualized selfmanagement program and gain the confidence to carry it out how can i manage arthritis pain medical treatment of arthritis pain and selfmanagement strategies is very important the arthritis selfhelp course ashc is an effective selfmanagement education intervention for people with arthritis the ashc developed by dr kate lorig of stanford university helps people learn and practice the different skills needed to build an individualized selfmanagement program and gain the confidence to carry it out how many people in the united states have arthritis in 2002 an estimated 43 million americans had doctordiagnosed arthritis and an additional 23 million adults had chronic joint symptoms but have not been diagnosed with arthritis as our nation s population ages the prevalence is expected to increase how many children have arthritis the answer to this question is not currently known with much certainty estimates vary and range from 80000 to 285000 depending on the definition of arthritis among children age ranges for children and the different methods used to find cases the small size of most studies can also lead to chance variation in estimates is exercise recommended for people who have arthritis recent studies have shown that moderate physical activity 3 or more days a week can help to relieve arthritis pain and stiffness and give you more energy regular physical activity can also lift your mood and make you feel more positive an activity that provides a slight increase in heart rate or breathing is considered moderate physical activity lowimpact activities performed at a moderate pace work best for people with arthritis these include walking swimming and riding a bicycle everyday activities such as dancing gardening and washing the car can be good if done at a moderate pace that produces slight breathing and heart rate changes if you are having an acute flareup of your inflammatory arthritis it may be better to restrict your exercise to simple range of motion carefully moving the joint as far as it can go during the flareup how does body weight influence arthritis weight control is essential because extra pounds put extra pressure on many joints research suggests that maintaining a healthy weight reduces the risk of developing arthritis and may decrease disease progression a loss of just 11 pounds can decrease the occurrence incidence of knee osteoarthritis  getting comfort  