While arthritis is more prevalent as people get older, it can develop at any age. Very young children get arthritis, called Juvenile Arthritis and some elderly never develop the disease.
Arthritis is a complex disease and it can cause serious pain and joint damage. Some forms can be stable without specific medical treatment but others, like Rheumatoid Arthritis can be debilitating.
I believed the myth that arthritis was just pain in older individuals until I had the awakening of what it truly does to joints when I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at 22 years old. I will admit that the process from realizing you have severe pain to finding out that you have arthritis is all very scary but the best thing to do is find a Rheumatologist who you feel comfortable with and start treatment as early as possible! Thanks to the great folks at the University of Pittsburgh and my Rheumatologist, Dr. Suzanne Gharib in Charleston, WV where I live now, I live a pretty comfortable life!
Several of the facts included in this article were resourced from a book by The Arthritis Foundation, "Tips for Good Living with Arthritis"
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