Arthritis, a common condition affecting millions of people, causes pain and inflammation in the joints. There are different types of arthritis, but two of the most common are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Understanding where the pain comes from is important to managing it. Are you one of the over 595 million people worldwide who live… Continue reading Arthritis Pain: Why Does it Happen and What Can You Do?
Tag: arthritis
What causes chronic pain? Is chronic pain a disability?
Medically Reviewed and Written By: Kathleen O’Shea Northrup, MD What Causes Chronic Pain? When people think of pain, they frequently imagine injuries like fractures or burns or pain from illnesses like strep throat or appendicitis. This type of pain is known as acute pain, meaning it comes on fairly quickly and is expected to resolve… Continue reading What causes chronic pain? Is chronic pain a disability?
What Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Really Feel Like?
Living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is more than joint pain. It’s a chronic pain, accompanied by many other symptoms, that often gets worse over time. Symptoms can come at inconvenient times without any warning which makes them difficult to manage. But what people think RA feels like and what it actually feels like are often two different things. How does rheumatoid arthritis really feel? Rheumatoid arthritis isn’t “just” arthritis. When you have RA, it affects your body or one part of… Continue reading What Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Really Feel Like?
Arthritis by the numbers: 50 million+ Americans live with it
May is National Arthritis Awareness Month. How many people are living with this condition? 53 million Americans and counting. Various forms of arthritis – including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus and fibromyalgia – are all on the rise, according to the CDC. Let’s look at some other facts and stats about arthritis, courtesy of the… Continue reading Arthritis by the numbers: 50 million+ Americans live with it
Arthritis Awareness Month: Shedding light on an invisible condition
It’s National Arthritis Awareness Month, and while more than 50 million Americans live with it, arthritis is often an invisible condition. It can be hard for those who don’t have it to understand what it’s all about and how it impacts a person. So let’s test your arthritis knowledge — did you know any of the… Continue reading Arthritis Awareness Month: Shedding light on an invisible condition
World Psoriasis Day 2015: Have hope, take action, make a change
Back in 2004, a group of patient associations from around the world launched World Psoriasis Day. Conceived by patients, for patients, World Psoriasis Day is an international event that aims to give a voice to the more than 125 million people worldwide living with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. On October 29, the International Federation of… Continue reading World Psoriasis Day 2015: Have hope, take action, make a change
Arthritis Awareness 101
You may have heard that arthritis affects the joints, but did you know that it’s an umbrella term used to describe over 100 medical conditions and diseases (known as rheumatic diseases)?1 Conditions that fall underneath forms of “arthritis” include rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, and fibromyalgia. And the symptoms can vary depending on the type of arthritis and the person… Continue reading Arthritis Awareness 101
Spreading the word for arthritis
Lupus? Check. Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS? Check. ALS, cystic fibrosis, Huntington’s disease, mental health, schizophrenia, anxiety and depression? Check! There’s been a ton of awareness going on in May, but there’s still one more theme to go – National Arthritis Awareness Month. This month, the Arthritis Foundation (AF) is encouraging us all to spread the word to… Continue reading Spreading the word for arthritis
Patients as Partners: The Perceived Medical Condition Self-Management Scale questionnaire results
Back at the beginning of April, we launched a new blog series called Patients as Partners that highlights the results and feedback PatientsLikeMe members give to questionnaires on our Open Research Exchange (ORE) platform. This time around, we’re sharing the results of the Perceived Medical Condition Self-Management Scale (PMCSMS), a health measure that looks at… Continue reading Patients as Partners: The Perceived Medical Condition Self-Management Scale questionnaire results
Spirited Support at the Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis
We’ve sponsored hundreds of fundraising teams through our PatientsLikeMeInMotion program, but we’re pretty sure this team wins the blue ribbon for most festive. Please meet PatientsLikeMe member Kennqueen’s very colorful team, who donned their best tutus and striped socks for the Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis in Richland, Washington, on November 17, 2012. Kennqueen has… Continue reading Spirited Support at the Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis