World Arthritis Day – Let Your Voices Be Heard
Nearly 50 million Americans—one in five—suffer from arthritis and 20 million of them are physically impaired by the disorder, according to a new CDC report. There are many types of arthritis (over 100 identified, and the number is growing). The types range from those related to wear and tear of cartilage (such as osteoarthritis) to those associated with inflammation resulting from an overactive immune system (such as rheumatoid arthritis). Together, the many types of arthritis make up the most common chronic illness in the United States.
Arthritis is a joint disorder featuring inflammation. A joint is an area of the body where two different bones meet. A joint functions to move the body parts connected by its bones. Arthritis literally means inflammation of one or more joints. When joint pain hits, it can sometimes be a debilitating and crippling condition to deal with. And if you have been diagnosed with arthritis, chances are you have had to alter your lifestyle in order to be able to cope.
World Arthritis Day is a time for all sufferers to unite. Celebrated every year on October 12th, World Arthritis Day (WAD) is a chance for people with arthritis from around the world to join together to make their voices heard.
The aims of World Arthritis Day are:
- to raise awareness of arthritis and its effects
- to help policy-makers understand the burden of arthritis and encourage them to take the necessary steps to ease it
- to raise the profile of arthritis support networks such as Arthritis Care
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Gregg Peake