tanhanmeng

4 years

Would young people get arthritis too

Hi doctor, is it true that arthritis is disease of old people. Would young people get arthritis too?

Dr Ramzdhan,

4 years

Hi, thank you for your question. Arthritis is more common in the elderly, but there are some types of arthritis which affect the younger generation.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease, where the immune system is faulty and attacks the joints. It affects small and large joints on both sides of the body. RA can develop at any age from 16 onwards, although most people start developing symptoms in their 40s. There are also factors that increase your risk of developing RA, such as family history of RA, smoking and obesity.

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease affecting people with psoriasis (skin condition that causes plaques on the body). PsA affects the fingers and toes in most cases. It can occur in people above the age of 16, but is more common in your 30s to 50s. Risk factors of PsA include having psoriasis and a family history of PsA.

Ankylosing spondylitis is a joint inflammation that affects the spine and can cause some of the bones in your spine to fuse together. Most people with ankylosing spondylitis starts developing symptoms in their 20s. Men are more likely to develop ankylosing spondylitis.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the main form of arthritis affecting young people under the age of 16. They may experience symptoms for a few months or for the rest of their lives. JIA can affect one or many joints, depending on the type of JIA. Subtypes of JIA include systemic, oligoarticular (up to 4 joints) and polyarticular (5 or more joints). Oligoarticular JIA is often mild and will most likely go away without joint damage.

Please click on this link (DoctorOnCall) to talk to us privately online and discuss further about your inquiries. Thank you.

Do you know that your immune system plays role in the effectiveness of vaccines?

Prevention is better than cure. Is My Body Ready to Fight Infection? Find Out in only 5 short minutes!

Health Forum

Explore health related questions.