Believe it or not, arthritis is not well understood. A lot of people “think” they know everything there is to know, but their knowledge is incomplete. To prove our point, we put together this short video quiz to challenge your preconceptions.
Let’s start with a simple question.
1. Is Arthritis a single disease?
Is it a) Yes or b) No?
We talk about arthritis as if it is one thing, but it’s actually not. It’s an informal way of talking about joint disease. There are over a 100 different types of arthritis and similar conditions. Now that you know there are more than one, next question is obviously…
2. What is the most common type of arthritis?
Do you think it’s a) Osteoarthritis b) Bursitis c) Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or d) Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Did you guess c) Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? If so, you are incorrect. Osteoarthritis is the most common. This is when the cartilage between your bones wears away and the bones starting rubbing up against each other. This causes the classic symptoms of pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints. So, everyone who guess a) pat yourself on the back.
3. Which of these statements is NOT a myth?
Is it a) cracking knuckles causes arthritis b) Changes in the weather affect arthritis pain c) Osteoporosis only happens in women or d) Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in America?
Those of you who read our blog post on arthritis myths already know the answer to this one, right? According to the Arthritis Foundation, the correct answer is d). More than 50 million adults have arthritis. The first two are just old wives tales. Osteoporosis is five times more likely to happen to a woman, but it’s not an exclusively female disease.
Speaking of our blog, the next question comes from our Early Warning Signs of Arthritis post. This should be an easy lay-up for you guys.
4. Which of these is NOT an early warning sign of arthritis?
Is it a) morning stiffness b) headache c) fatigue or d) anemia?
The correct answer is b) headache. Yes, the skull is a bone, but that’s not the source of headaches. They are usually caused by restricted blood flow, which is why we take aspirin, a mild blood thinner, as the cure.
Next question.
5. What movie sex symbol was diagnosed with severe rheumatoid arthritis in his/her 40s?
Was it a) Marilyn Monroe b) George Clooney c) Kathleen Turner or d) John Travolta?
No, it isn’t Marilyn Monroe, nor is it the guys. The correct answer is c) Kathleen Turner, star of “Body Heat.” She was diagnosed in 1993. In her autobiography, she describes how the illness wiped out her sex life and led to alcohol dependence. The eagle-eyed among you will recognize this question from our Celebrity Arthritis Quiz.
6. Find the truth: “I don’t have to worry about arthritis until I’m a senior citizen?”
Is it a) True or b) False?
This is 100% false. 300,000 children in the United States have arthritis or a rheumatic condition according to the Arthritis Foundation. Indeed, infants as young as 1 year old can get systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, which is a VERY serious disease!
Last question. How many of you are still batting a thousand? (no, that’s not the real last question).
7. What food is NOT good for people with arthritis?
Do you think it’s a) milk b) garlic c) walnuts or d) salmon?
Milk might make the body good as the milk industry would have you believe, but it’s not good for arthritis pain, indeed Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine says dairy products as a whole might irritate the tissue around joints, causing more pain. This means the correct answer is a).
So, that’s it! How did you do? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook & Twitter pages. Until next time.
*Sources: Mayo Clinic, Arthritis Foundation, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Healthline.com
