“Arthritis” is actually an umbrella term for more than 100 medical conditions that collectively affect nearly 70 million adults (about one in every three) and 300,000 children in America alone.
The most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and gout.
While varying in form and intensity, a common thread links the many types of arthritis: Each form affects the musculoskeletal system, and specifically the joints, where two or more bones meet.
Symptoms include pain, aching, stiffness, and swelling in or around the joints.
While there is no real cure for arthritis, there are ways to manage the symptoms. Click here for more information about treating osteoarthritis, the single most common form of arthritis. Mild or moderate symptoms of arthritis can usually be treated with over-the-counter pain medications.
Arthritis can affect anyone of any age, although women and older people are at higher risk. Nearly two-thirds of people with arthritis are younger than 65. The cause of arthritis is generally unknown. Click here for more information about the risk factors for arthritis.
Even if you never develop arthritis, you may not be immune from it. The cost of arthritis comes in many forms.
What are the symptoms?
Even though arthritis affects nearly 70 million people, less than half of those polled in a recent national survey said they are familiar with the symptoms of arthritis. And, 15 percent said they know nothing about the symptoms of arthritis.
Do you have arthritis?
Forty-two percent of those polled in a recent national survey, said they have arthritis. Of those, 52 percent said their arthritis symptoms were mild; 33 percent described their arthritis pain as moderate; and, 14 percent reported having severe arthritis symptoms.
While arthritis affects children and people of all racial and ethnic groups, it is more common among women and older Americans.
But contrary to popular belief, arthritis is not just an old person’s disease. Nearly two-thirds of people with arthritis are younger than 65.
The cause of arthritis is unknown, but there are a number of contributing factors, including age, genetics (especially for arthritis in the hand), and obesity.
Special Report: Arthritis & Women
The Society for Women’s Health Research has documented a number of gender-specific facts about how all forms of arthritis affect women.
- Of the 70 million Americans estimated to have some form of arthritis in 2002, 41 million were women (58.6%) and 28.9 million were men (41.3%). (Women are even more likely than men to develop osteoarthritis.
Click here for more information.
- Based on a major survey where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tracked a large sample of women (24,201) from 1989 to 1991, the prevalence of arthritis increases with a woman’s age. In the CDC study, 8.6 percent of women aged 15-44 years had arthritis compared to 33.5 percent of those aged 45-64 and 55.8 percent of women aged 65 and over.
- According to the CDC study, arthritis is the most common self-reported condition that affects women (22.7 percent of the survey’s respondents), ranking ahead of high blood pressure (8.1 percent), ischemic heart disease (3.7 percent), and other conditions affecting women.
- Among the conditions reported responsible for activity limitations, women in the CDC study most frequently mentioned arthritis, followed by orthopedic deformity and ischemic heart disease.
- Men have significantly larger knee cartilage volumes than women, even after adjustments for bone and body size differences, suggesting men are naturally more protected from arthritis of the knee than women.
- Compared to men, studies find that women with arthritis are less likely to be referred to orthopedic surgeons for joint replacement. Once referred, however, women are equally likely to undergo the procedure.
Special Report: The Cost of Arthritis
The following statistics provide an up-to-date look at arthritis and its impact on the American population, especially on women, who experience arthritis-related conditions in much greater numbers than men. The cost of arthritis comes in many forms, affecting the economy and people’s quality of life:
- Arthritis is one of the most prevalent chronic health problems and the nation’s leading cause of disability among Americans over age 15.
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), arthritis limits the major activities of one in five arthritis sufferers (such as working, housekeeping, and leisure activities), and trails only heart disease as the leading cause of work disability.
- Health-related quality-of-life measures — such as days with joint pain and difficulty performing personal care activities (often defined as “unhealthy days”) — are consistently worse for people with osteoarthritis and other forms of arthritis.
- Arthritis, like other chronic pain conditions, can have a major negative effect on mental health.
- Arthritis has a sizable impact on the nation’s economy, resulting in 44 million doctor visits a year and approximately 750,000 hospitalizations. Osteoarthritis alone is responsible for more than 7 million doctor visits a year.
- The estimated cost of arthritis was $124.8 billion in 2000, including $42.6 billion in medical expenses and $82.2 billion in lost productivity.
What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that affects the hands and weight-bearing joints such as knees, hips, feet, and the back. It is characterized by the breakdown of the cartilage, the part of the joint that cushions the ends of bones. Cartilage breakdown causes bones to rub against each other, resulting in pain and loss of movement.
OA cannot be cured, but it can be diagnosed, and its symptoms can usually be treated. In most cases, mild or moderate symptoms can be treated with non-prescription medicines.
OA affects more than 21 million people and is most common in older people and women. There are several known causes for this often painful condition.
An Ounce of Prevention
Weight control and injury prevention measures can lower your risk for osteoarthritis.
Who gets osteoarthritis, and why?
Considered the leading cause of disability in older people, osteoarthritis (OA) affects more than 21 million Americans.
OA usually develops in people over the age of 50, but it isn’t uncommon in people in their early- and mid-40s. Women comprise about 63.5 percent of the cases of OA in Americans 60 and older.
OA results from degeneration of the joint cartilage, which can be caused by many factors. Some kinds of OA are known to be hereditary, including the common form that causes enlargement of the knuckles. However, for most people, cartilage breakdown is due to both mechanical ("wear and tear") and biochemical effects.
Different types of arthritis have different symptoms, but in general, people who have arthritis feel pain and stiffness in the joints.
A doctor may confirm OA through a physical examination, x-rays and by ruling out other types of arthritis. Since it is so common, OA may be present simultaneously with other types of arthritis.
Early diagnosis and treatment will help to decrease further joint damage and to control symptoms of arthritis and many other rheumatic diseases.
Special Report: Osteoarthritis & Women
The Society for Women’s Health Research has documented a number of gender-specific facts about how osteoarthritis (OA) affects women:
- OA affects an estimated 20.7 million Americans, mostly after age 45, the majority of whom are women.
- Although OA is a degenerative disease that primarily affects women, prior to age 50, the prevalence of OA in most joints is higher in men. However, after age 50, more women than men are affected by arthritis of the hand, foot and knee.
- In an eight-year follow-up study on knee osteoarthritis in the elderly, the incidence of disease was 1.7 times higher in women than in men, and progression of the disease occurred slightly more often in women, but rates did not vary by age.
- The role of estrogen in OA is unclear. Elevated levels of estrogen have been found in arthritic cartilage, suggesting that estrogen is important in the development of arthritis in women. At the same time, the high incidence of OA in women just after menopause has suggested that estrogen deficiency plays a role in causing disease. More research is needed regarding the role that estrogen may play in the incidence of OA.
Although there is no known cure for osteoarthritis (OA), there are effective ways to relieve the symptoms, lessen the disability, and improve the quality of life for people with the disease. Effective treatment can reduce pain, and maintain or improve joint mobility.
Because OA is a chronic, painful condition that must be managed over time, two leading medical organizations that specialize in the treatment of arthritis and joint pain -- the American College of Rheumatology and the American Pain Society -- have published guidelines for the management of OA. Both organizations advocate identifying OA at its earliest stage and then managing the condition through a comprehensive approach of education, increased physical activity, occupational therapy to regain mobility, and effective pain management.
These guidelines stress the value of using the most cost-effective pain medications to manage mild to moderate OA symptoms, beginning with the simplest medicines that carry the least side effects. Specifically, the two sets of guidelines recommend starting treatment with acetaminophen because of its mild side effects, availability and low cost.
The OA medical guidelines also stress the importance of managing joint pain most cost effectively. Therefore, doctors are encouraged to follow these steps:
- All treatment for arthritis should begin with a comprehensive assessment of pain and function.
- Pain medications are important in managing arthritis symptoms and should be used concurrently with nutritional, physical, and educational interventions.
- Physicians should consider efficacy, adverse side effects, dosing frequency, and cost to the patient when recommending arthritis treatments.
- For mild to moderate arthritis pain, acetaminophen is the drug of choice because of its mild side effects, over-the-counter availability, and low cost.
- In treating moderate-to-severe arthritis pain, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ibuprofen, naproxen sodium or aspirin should only be considered if people are not responding to acetaminophen and the newer prescription COX-2 (Cycloxygenase-2) specific inhibitors, such as Celebrex. Patients with or at risk for heart disease should discuss their options with a physician, however, in light of the recent withdrawal of Vioxx, which is also a COX-2 inhibitor. A study revealed that an increased risk of cardiovascular complications began 18 months after patients started taking Vioxx.
Along with drug therapy, resting the joint and applying heat and cold can also help relieve pain. In very serious cases, joint surgery to repair or replace seriously damaged joints may be required to end pain and restore functional mobility.
Special Report: Over-the-Counter Arthritis Pain Relievers
There are many over-the-counter choices for pain relief, but some may cause unwanted side effects or may react unfavorably with other medications. It’s important to talk with your doctor or pharmacist about all prescription and non-prescription medications, supplements, herbal remedies and other treatments that you’re taking before taking an over-the-counter (OTC) medicine for arthritis.
The most common OTC pain relievers are:
Acetaminophen – Acetaminophen is a pain reliever that has been proven effective in relieving various types of pain, including arthritis, muscle aches, strains and sprains, tension headaches and back ache. Unlike non-prescription NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), acetaminophen does not cause gastric irritation or bleeding. Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in over-the-counter pain relievers, such as Tylenol Arthritis Pain®.
Aspirin – One of the oldest pain relievers on the market, aspirin is classified as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Aspirin is also a blood thinner and can interfere with a number of commonly prescribed prescription medicines. These include anticoagulants (blood thinners), such as warfarin (Coumadin) and heparin; antihypertensives (Blood pressure medicines), including ACE inhibitors and beta blockers; diuretics (water pills); and, drugs to treat such conditions as diabetes and gout.
Ibuprofen – One of the most commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), ibuprofen is found in a variety of OTC and prescription medicines, both alone and in combination with other active ingredients. Like aspirin, it can interfere with anticoagulants (blood thinners), antihypertensives (blood pressure medicines), and diuretics (water pills), as well as steroids and oral diabetes medications. Ibuprofen is the actuve ingredient is products such as Advil® and Motrin®.
Naproxen sodium – One of the newer non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on the market, naproxen sodium can interfere with aspirin and ibuprofen, anticoagulants (blood thinners), antihypertensives (blood pressure medicines), ACE inhibitors, diuretics (water pills), steroids, and oral diabetes medications. It can also produce a reaction when combined with bismuth subsalicylate (in products such as Pepto-Bismol). Naproxen sodium is the active ingredient in the product Aleve®.
Back to topSpecial Report: National Survey on Arthritis
The Arthritis Foundation reports that the effective management of arthritis is plagued by some pervasive myths, including the misperception that not much can be done to alleviate the pain and disability associated with this condition.
To gain a further perspective on this problem, the Society for Women’s Health Research commissioned a poll of 1,016 Americans aged 18 and over, with the goal of measuring the gap in understanding between the public and practitioners about how to treat arthritis pain.
Executive Summary
An estimated one in three adults -- nearly 70 million Americans -- has arthritis, one of the most prevalent chronic health problems in this country and the nation’s leading cause of disability in people over age 15. But what is not well understood is that arthritis strikes more women than men.
This is the case for many types of arthritis including osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form. More than 20 million Americans have OA, and women comprise about 63.5 percent of the cases of OA in Americans 60 and older.
The Arthritis Foundation reports that the effective management of arthritis is plagued by some pervasive myths, including the misperception that not much can be done to alleviate the pain and disability associated with this condition. To gain a further perspective on this problem, the Society for Women’s Health Research commissioned a poll of 1,016 adult Americans aged 18 and over with the goal of measuring the gap in understanding between the public and practitioners about how to treat arthritis pain.
Conducted by Harris Interactive, March 19-21, 2004, the survey finds that many people have little understanding of the major symptoms of arthritis and who is at risk for this disabling condition. Moreover, the survey finds that even those who have been diagnosed with a form of arthritis have very little understanding of what medical experts recommend for pain management and are not aware of the need for caution when combining arthritis medicines with over-the-counter and prescription drugs used to treat other health conditions
What follows is a summary of the research findings:
- Arthritis is a common problem among American adults.
- Most Americans have very little understanding of who is most likely to get arthritis and what the major symptoms are.
Conducted March 19-21, 2004, the Harris Interactive survey polled 507 men and 509 women (1,016 adults) aged 18 and over using an unrestricted Random Digit Dialing technique that significantly reduces bias and ensures that respondents with both listed and unlisted telephone numbers are reached. The margin of error for the total sample is ± 3.1 percent.
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Arthritis is a common problem among American adults.
- According to the survey findings, 42 percent of those polled self-reported having the condition. Of this group, 52 percent say their arthritis symptoms are mild, 33 percent describe their arthritis pain as moderate, and another 14 percent report having severe arthritis symptoms.
- Reinforcing government estimates, the survey finds that significantly more women (48 percent) report having arthritis, compared to 35 percent of men.
- Although the most common form of arthritis – osteoarthritis (OA) – is most prevalent in people over age 60, 80 percent of those polled believe that arthritis symptoms usually begin at an earlier age.
- The American public views arthritis as an “equal opportunity” condition for men and women. Specifically, 64 percent of those questioned believe that arthritis affects men and women equally, when in actuality, more than 60 percent of arthritis cases are diagnosed in women.
- Only 26 percent of the public recognizes that arthritis is largely a women’s health problem.
- Even though arthritis affects nearly 70 million people, only 46 percent of those polled say they are somewhat or very familiar with the symptoms of arthritis. In fact, 15 percent of the respondents said they know nothing about the symptoms of arthritis.
- According to the poll, 76 percent of the public says that arthritis significantly affects a person’s ability to maintain an active lifestyle. In contrast, only 19 percent disagree with this assessment and another 5 percent say they aren’t sure/don’t know.
- This finding is consistent with research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which tracked a large sample of women from 1989 to 1991. In this study, CDC found that arthritis is the most common self-reported condition affecting women and was most frequently mentioned by women as the reason for their activity limitations, followed by orthopedic deformity and ischemic heart disease.
- Although new medical guidelines recommend using over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen, to manage mild-to-moderate joint pain, only 57 percent of the public knows this fact.
- In fact, the survey finds that 35 percent of consumers think that going immediately to the more expensive prescription arthritis medications is what experts recommend.
- Behind this limited awareness are a lot of mixed messages in the marketplace. As a result, when asked, “what best describes how arthritis pain is typically treated,” respondents were equally divided between OTC pain relievers and prescription medicines although current medical guidelines recommend starting with OTC analgesics.
- According to the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), older consumers take more prescription and over-the-counter medicines than their younger counterparts, often to manage such conditions as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. But while many of these individuals also suffer from arthritis symptoms, the survey finds a lack of understanding about the need to be careful when combining OTC medicines for arthritis with these other medications.
- Of significant concern to health professionals is the perception among the public that all OTC pain relievers are the same when in fact they differ in terms of their effects on the gastrointestinal tract and their potential to interfere with some commonly used prescription drugs. In this survey, 64 percent of those polled say that all OTC pain relievers are the same.
- When specifically asked which OTC pain relievers are the safest to use when also taking prescription drugs, 44 percent cited NSAIDs such as ibuprofen (24 percent), naproxen sodium(10 percent) and aspirin (10 percent). Only 21 percent of those surveyed cited acetaminophen as the safest OTC pain reliever to use. What consumers may not know is that it’s important for them to talk to their physicians if they are on a prescription medication and need to take an OTC medication to relieve their arthritis pain.
Last updated: May 4, 2005