• Question: is there research to say that arthritis is inherited or due to the enviroment the person may live in

    Asked by littleman43 to Kirsty on 19 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Kirsty Ross

      Kirsty Ross answered on 19 Jun 2012:


      The answer to your question is: it’s a bit of both.

      Research on this isn’t completely clear cut. Individuals can have certain genes that make them more prone to developing certain types of arthritis, like juvenile arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. However, environment can also have an impact. If you do a lot of high impact sports like running, football or tennis then you can sometimes injury yourself. Or if you have a really physical job like a builder or fitter. These injuries can lead to one of the most common forms of arthritis caused osteoarthritis. You can think of it as a form of wear and tear on the joint, as the cartilage breaks down and the bare bones start to rub together. As you can imagine this is incredibly painful.

      Once you have arthritis, there are things that you can do to help. Keeping your weight under control and eating a diet rich in omega 3 can help, as your joints have less work to do carrying less weight. Making sure you visit the dentist to avoid getting gingivitis is a good idea, as some research suggests that this can contribute to arthritis. Finally, stopping smoking is very important. This can make your arthritis progress more quickly.

Comments