Arthritis is a common health problem, affecting Continue reading below ↓
Arthritis is a common health problem, affecting over 350 million people globally. Yet, it’s also prone to many major misconceptions, the most common one being that it’s a disease that almost exclusively targets old people.
Unfortunately, it’s highly possible to develop arthritis, especially certain types, at a young age. We’ll cover what causes arthritis in young adults, as well as ways how to effectively manage the condition.
What Is Arthritis?
Arthritis is a general term describing a broad range of long-term conditions causing joint pain and stiffness. The condition may vary in severity, depending on factors such as the type of arthritis and the duration of symptoms. Secondary symptoms may include swelling, redness, and a decreased range of motion in the affected area.
Arthritis can be developed for various reasons, such as a side effect of musculoskeletal and skin diseases, or as an autoimmune condition. The onset can be both sudden and gradual.
Can Young People Get Arthritis?
While the chance of developing early-onset arthritis greatly varies between the particular types of arthritis, young people, in general, aren’t immune from the condition. The risk factor is almost universally lower but still significant enough not to ignore.
For example, among osteoarthritis patients, which is the most common type of arthritis, 30.4% report being diagnosed before the age of 45.
What Are the Risk Factors for Developing Arthritis at a Younger Age?
Common risk factors for developing early-onset arthritis include:
- A family history of arthritis at a young age;
- Obesity;
- High-impact sports;
- Bad posture;
- A sedentary lifestyle;
- An overly active lifestyle;
- Joint injury;
- Hip dysplasia;
- Diabetes.
What Types of Arthritis Are There?
There are over 100 different types of arthritis. We’re going to list the most common ones.
1. Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, meaning it’s caused by the immune system attacking healthy tissue. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, it primarily affects joint tissue but may spread to other organs in up to 25% of cases.
It’s a common, lifelong condition that affects 18 million people worldwide. The majority of them are over 55 years old, but a form known as young-onset rheumatoid arthritis (YORA) primarily affects younger adults.
2. Osteoarthritis
The most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis, is also known as degenerative joint disease since it’s caused by the gradual wear and tear of joint cartilage. Since it’s a type of chronic joint injury caused by mechanical stress and inflammation, it can easily affect young people as well as the elderly.
While the risk increases with age, it’s usually caused either by overly intensive physical activity or a lack thereof. This makes it likely for young people to develop osteoarthritis too.
3. Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a specific form of autoimmune arthritis affecting minors between the ages of 6 and 16. There isn’t a lot of reliable research on this condition—previously, it’s been considered a subtype of rheumatoid arthritis, but the current medical consensus classifies it as a separate autoimmune condition.
The chief difference separating JIA from adult rheumatoid arthritis is the fact that, instead of being a lifetime condition, JIA is often overcome by the time patients reach adulthood. Still, it can do serious damage to the bones.
4. Gout
Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that causes arthritis in young adults and happens when the body is too full of uric acid, which forms needle-shaped crystals in the area around your joints. This is usually correlated with other medical conditions, which make it harder for organs to properly disintegrate and absorb uric acid.
Gout can occur among young adults and is connected with obesity and poor condition of organs such as the liver, kidney, and heart.
5. Infectious Arthritis
Infectious, or septic arthritis, happens due to a viral, fungal, or bacterial infection that spreads to your joints This may manifest in multiple ways, such as stiffness, swelling, or fever.
As a potential secondary symptom of various infections, septic arthritis doesn’t discriminate by age—young people are just as vulnerable as older ones.
6. Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis is a symptom of psoriasis, a chronic skin disease causing a permanent itchy rash on various areas of the body. Joints, such as fingers and toes, are among the most commonly affected areas.
The condition can also cause inflammation in the connective tissue surrounding the joints, leading to psoriatic arthritis, which causes pain, swelling, and stiffness.
The skin condition can begin at any age, making anyone susceptible to psoriatic arthritis.
7. Ankylosing Spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis is an inflammatory arthritis that affects the joints and ligaments of the spine. It can also spread to peripheral joints, such as hips, ankles, and knees.
It typically appears relatively early, between the ages of 17 and 45.
8. Post-Traumatic Arthritis
A potential symptom of joint injuries, post-traumatic arthritis results from physical trauma and is caused by the inflammation after the injury. Unlike most other forms of arthritis, it develops and substracts quickly and typically lacks the more severe symptoms.
It’s easier to develop in adults with older, brittle bones, but a young adult who seriously injured a joint is still prone to developing it.
9. Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a rheumatic condition that causes pain in the entire body, including joints. Although its effects on the human body are broader, its effect on the joints is sometimes classified as an arthritic condition.
The condition typically develops between the ages of 25 and 55, but people of any age can get it, even younger ones.
10. Lupus
As a serious autoimmune disease with a large list of potential symptoms affecting the whole body, all forms of lupus still have arthritis as the most universal symptom. Outwardly, it’s similar to the symptoms caused by rheumatoid arthritis, with redness, swelling, and significant pain.
The symptoms of lupus can show up at any age, although it’s younger women between the ages of 15 and 45 who are the most vulnerable.
What Are the Early Signs of Arthritis?
The exact early signs of arthritis vary depending on multiple factors, mostly the exact type of arthritis. Still, some of the most common telltale signs include:
- Experiencing joint pain;
- Joint stiffness;
- Joint swelling;
- Warmth and redness in the joint area.
Most types of arthritis won’t pass on their own—in fact, letting the condition develop without treatment will likely only make arthritis worse. As such, if you find yourself experiencing symptoms of arthritis, you should seek a physician for treatment as quickly as possible.
How Is Arthritis Diagnosed?
An orthopedic specialist performs a physical examination to diagnose arthritis. They will check your joint for any visible symptoms of the condition and consult your medical history to determine whether you are at an increased risk of developing arthritis.
If necessary, the orthopedist will likely send you to a radiologist for a scan. This X-ray, CT, or MRI scan will help the doctors determine whether your joints suffer from arthritis.
What Are the Treatment Options for Arthritis?
Most forms of arthritis are incurable. Still, there are treatment options that can help manage symptoms:
- Physical therapy;
- Anti-inflammation medication;
- Immunosuppressants;
- Steroid injections;
- Anti-inflammatory diet;
- Hot and cold treatment;
- Surgery.
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