Teen Health
Arthritis in Teens Getting More Attention
By
Mar 17, 2008 - 5:28:48 PM

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - COLUMBUS, Ohio – Doctors are seeing an increasing number of patients with arthritis, and it’s not just limited to the older population. It’s become much more common to see teenagers with the condition -- some requiring hip replacements before the age of 20.

It’s an area of medicine that is rapidly growing, according to Dr. Tom Ellis, an orthopedic surgeon at The Ohio State University Medical Center who specializes in the care and treatment of arthritis and hip pain in people under the age of 50.

“I see a lot of young people in my practice. The diagnosis of arthritis can come as a shock, because it’s not thought of as being a condition for people of a generation usually at the height of their active years,” said Ellis.

Ellis says physicians today have more tools and increased knowledge to diagnose arthritis. “Years ago arthritis may not have been considered the cause of a young person’s pain or swollen joints,” said Ellis. “It was pretty far down on the list of possible diagnoses. Technology has improved and we know more about how and why the condition develops. We definitely know it’s not just an older person’s ailment.”

Arthritis often results from an injury to a joint or an infection. While most infections and injuries can heal with no long-term problems and with minimal medical intervention, arthritis acts differently. As an autoimmune disease, the disease allows the body to attack its own healthy cells and tissues.

“If your child complains about a pain that has been persistent, or he or she avoids certain physical activities they normally enjoy, it’s a good indication that there is an underlying cause,” added Ellis, who was recruited to Ohio State last year from Oregon to work with the younger population of arthritis patients.

Ellis, who specializes in arthroscopic hip surgery, says there are good treatments – surgical and non-surgical -- available. “Early diagnosis and treatment can make a big difference in how young people will function the remainder of their lives.”

Symptoms of arthritis can include:

-Stiffness when awaking and joint pain during the day

-Swelling around joints

-Reduced activity level

-Awkward or deliberately slow movements

-Condition does not improve over time

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