Arthritis and Women

Nineteen year-old Brittany Ross from Millbury, Massachusetts, began suffering from severe juvenile arthritis at the age of 16. Originally doctors thought she had rheumatoid arthritis, but eventually it was diagnosed as osteoarthritis. Recently, she underwent a left total hip replacement due to the major degeneration caused by the disease, and doctors say there are signs of arthritis in her right hip. Though she now gets around much easier and with much less pain, Brittany engages in physical therapy twice weekly, and will attend a local gym for swimming and regular exercise, once released from medical care. Brittany is also considering yoga and dance class, which has been shown to improve symptoms of arthritis.

Nearly one in every 6 people in the United States, or almost 43 million people, has some form of arthritis. Almost 27 million of those people are women. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), says that by the year 2020, 60 million Americans will be affected by arthritis. Not only does arthritis create huge costs for patients and families, but the CDC reports that each year arthritis results in 750,000 hospitalizations, 44 million outpatient visits, and an estimated yearly medical care cost of $15 billion.

Robert Quinet, M.D., Section Head of Rheumatology at Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans, LA, says "there are at least 100 different types of arthritis. The most common is osteoarthritis." Also included are rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, gout, and lupus. The most common symptoms are pain, aching, stiffness, and swelling in or around joints. Lupus and rheumatoid arthritis can affect more than one organ, and symptoms can become widespread.