You or a loved one has been living with arthritis for years and you are almost certain you know everything about this potentially debilitating condition.
But here we look at 10 surprising facts about the different types of arthritis that you may not know!
Snakes and bees and ants
After years of treatment, some people who suffer from various forms of arthritis have turned to unusual natural treatments that come from snakes, bees, and ants.
Sound outlandish? Maybe not! In fact, a 2010 study performed by researchers in Brazil found that bee sting venom actually appeared to reduce the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
More than just hands, hips, and knees
When people think of osteoarthritis, they generally think of older people whose hips, knees, and hands are affected.
But statistics suggest that more than half of people in their 60s and 70s have osteoarthritis that affects their feet and ankles.
Race matters when it comes to arthritis
Both whites and Africans experience arthritis at similar rates, but blacks report higher instances of severe joint pain and limitations in activity than their white counterparts.
Gout is also a form of arthritis
Gout is a form of arthritis characterized by repeated flare-ups of intensely painful swelling. It’s caused by a build-up of uric acid in the fluid around the joints. This can be due to genetic predisposition, some diseases, or consuming too much meat, seafood, fructose-sweetened drinks, or alcohol.
The bunion joint–the joint that connects the big toe to the foot–is often affected first in people who have gout.
Injuries increase arthritis risk
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Joints that have been injured are more likely to develop osteoarthritis than joints that haven’t been injured.
Among young adults, those with knee injuries have six times the risk of developing OA in that joint by age 65 than those without knee injuries. Those with hip injuries are three times more likely to develop OA in that joint by age 65.
Children get arthritis too
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is the most common type of arthritis in children. In fact, it is one of the most common chronic conditions in children, occurring almost as often as insulin-dependent juvenile diabetes.
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis typically strikes children between the ages of 1 year and 3 years old or between the ages of 8 years and 12 years old. It also strikes girls about twice as often as boys.
Arthritis isn’t just a “modern” illness
Though we hear much in the news about the rising rates of arthritis, it is by no means a new or solely “modern” condition.
Arthritis is actually one of the oldest diseases known to human kind. It has even been discovered in the remains of people living more than 500,000 years ago
Weather can’t cure it
People have long thought that wet, cold climates cause arthritis and that moving to a warmer climate will cure this condition. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. After all, the prevalence of arthritis is about the same in both warm and cold climates.
Still, some people with arthritis report they feel better in warmer areas. This makes sense, since warmth of any kind is generally soothing to sore joints.