Number of people with OA under 50 yoa?

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JoJo2012
JoJo2012 Member Posts: 4
edited 22. Mar 2012, 12:27 in Chat to our Helpline Team archive
I've had OA since 41 when xrays showed bony spurs on my lower spine and since then it's spread to all my major joints (I'm now 47) and it feels like it's accelerating.

However, no consultant or GP has ever taken me seriously and they always say I'm too young to have OA. So although I have a lot of pain. stiffness and daily difficulty I've never been offered any help except for painkillers.

What I'd like to know is could you please tell me what is the percentage of people who get OA under 50 and how young could a person be when they get 'generalised' OA rather than simply getting it in one joint due to an injury? Thank you very much.

Personally I feel OA is misunderstood and that too much emphasis is always given to 'wear and tear' and ageing - because if this was the case then everyone over a certain age would have it, but they don't, so I feel it has a different cause when it's a 'generalised' condition.

Thanks for reading.

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  • helpline_team
    helpline_team Posts: 3,494
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Dear Jojo,

    Thank you for your enquiry to Helplines. We don't compile statistics about ages related to particular conditions - you may find some general ones on sites like AR UK. http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/conditions.aspx

    When you say that GPs etc don't take you seriously - is that meaning that you dont feel that they see your arthritis as widespread and deterorating? Clearly if you have x-rays showing various areas affected then that is concrete evidence.

    I wonder whether you've had some images taken of the other places where you feel the arthritis is now affecting you? Sometimes it may be worth getting a musculo skeletal referral about one of those new parts of the body and as a part of their assessment they may get images / write a report that would then go back to the GP - put some evidence on your notes perhaps?

    I hope you get some other useful messages from the forum - posting your question on 'Living with arthritis' might be worthwhile too.

    I hope that's helpful

    Guy
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