Facts About Arthritis That May Surprise You

Chances are you are familiar with the term Arthritis and it is a common medical condition related to the elderly. But did you know the young people and even children can get it too? Here are 5 facts about arthritis that may surprise you.

1. THERE ARE MORE THAN 100 DIFFERENT TYPES OF ARTHRITIS
   

   The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
   

2. YOUNG PEOPLE CAN GET ARTHRITIS
   

   Juvenile idiopathic rheumatoid arthritis is a type of arthritis that affects patients aged 16 and below. This is a disease of the autoimmune system that affects multiple joints in the body, causing pain, stiffness and swelling in the affected joints. Gout and osteoarthritis are also common among the young people.
   

3. ARTHRITIC JOINT PAIN CAN ACCURATELY PREDICT WEATHER CHANGES

   Weather changes can trigger an arthritic flare-up because arthritic joints have abnormal nerve endings that emit more pain signals when air temperature or air pressure changes. This is true for any type of arthritis. However, not all arthritic patients are affected in the same way.
   

4. SMOKING INCREASES THE RISK OF RHEUMATIOID ARTHRITIS
   

   Smoking speeds up the damage RA does to your joints, and can also make it more likely for you to get bumps under your skin, known as rheumatoid nodules. Smoking can also stop your rheumatoid arthritis medicine from functioning optimally, making it harder for you to control flare-ups or to remain in remission.
   

5. ARTHRITIS COULD BE A SYMPTOMS OF SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS
   

   Some condition can mimic arthritis. For example, lupus is an autoimmune disease that can mimic very closely to that of rheumatoid arthritis.