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Posted on Mar 26, 2008, 8 p.m.
By Jeanelle Topping
Contrary to popular belief, arthritis is not just a part of the ageing process but can also be linked to inheritance, gender and ethnicity, according to Arthritis Care.
Contrary to popular belief, arthritis is not just a part of the ageing process but can also be linked to inheritance, gender and ethnicity, according to Arthritis Care.
There are around 200 forms of the condition, which involves inflammation of the joints or connective tissue. Women can be affected by some types of arthritis, but other variations of the disease such as ankylosing spondylitis are more common in men.
"As yet, there is no cure for arthritis, and its cause is still unknown. However, nowadays there is a reasonably good understanding of risk factors," explained a spokesperson for the organisation.
She added: "As a result, doctors are better placed to know who is likely to develop arthritis, and in which form. You can potentially increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis by sustaining injury, though sport or accident, and people carrying too much weight can also put their joints under stress."
Research has found that pregnancy has been proven to abate the symptoms of arthritis. According to Arthritis Care, 70 to 80 per cent of pregnant suffers have reported that pregnancy helps to subdue their symptoms.
