What is arthritis?
Arthritis is an umbrella term for more than 100 medical conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system, specifically joints where two or more bones meet. While arthritis is very common – affecting more than 3.9 million adults and children in Australia – it’s not well understood.
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Understanding arthritis
Whether you’ve just been diagnosed with a form of arthritis or have been living with arthritis for a while – the most important step to living well with arthritis is to understand your condition.
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Types of arthritis
Which type of arthritis do you have? Do you have more than one? Learning about which type(s) of arthritis you have and how it can be managed will help you live well with arthritis.
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Areas of the body
Arthritis symptoms can occur in almost any area of the body, however some areas, such as the knees, hips, hands and back, are more common than others.
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Fast facts
Did you know? Nearly 1 in 6 Australians has arthritis and most of them are aged less than 65 years. Arthritis is also the leading cause of disability and chronic pain in Australia after back pain. Most forms of arthritis are thought to be auto-immune conditions, where the body’s immune system attacks its own joint tissues.
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