Life Begins At.....
Issue link: http://ebook.aprs.com.au/i/40177
BANNER BANNER ARTHRITIS Living with arthritis Around 3.85 million Australians are affected by arthritis – a condition of the joints causing stiffness, swelling and considerable pain. Charmaine Yabsley looks at the reasons why it can occur and how best to treat it. The term arthritis, although refers to a singular disease, is an all- encompassing term for more than 100 medical conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system, specifically joints where two or more bones meet. While there are numerous forms of the disease, the three most common: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout, account for more than 95 per cent of cases in Australia. Three times more women get it than men and it usually starts between the ages of 40 and 60. Who does it affect? "It's predicted that by 2050, around seven million people in Australia will be affected by a form of arthritis," says Professor Patrick McNeil, spokesperson for the Arthritis Australia. With our growing population, it stands to reason that the number of people will be affected by this disease, which is primarily focused on ageing bodies. "You don't necessarily need to be old to have arthritis," he says. According to Arthritis Australia, around 2.4 million people with arthritis are > THE RETIREE SPRING 141 141 THE RETIREE SPRING