﻿ Arthritis: Get the Facts on Treatment and Symptoms


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Arthritis facts

  • Arthritis is inflammation of one or more joints.
  • Symptoms of arthritis include pain and limited function of joints.
  • Arthritis sufferers include men and women, children and adults.
  • A rheumatologist is a medical arthritis expert.
  • Earlier and accurate diagnosis can help to prevent irreversible damage and disability.

What is arthritis? What causes arthritis?






Medically Reviewed by a Doctor on 7/16/2014

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Learn what causes arthritis symptoms to flare up around your menstrual period.

Women's Arthritis Roller Coaster

Menstrual Periods & Arthritis


Why do many women with arthritis feel worsening symptoms before and during their monthly menstrual periods? During the course of any day in caring for women with arthritis, it is not uncommon for a number of them to complain of a monthly regular worsening of their joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. This is not just a coincidence.

Many forms of arthritis and rheumatic diseases are known to occur more frequently in women than in men. Moreover, it is not unusual for the initial presentation of these conditions to occur following a pregnancy. Why?

Researchers are finding that the immune system is influenced by signals from the female reproductive hormones. It seems that the levels of hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone, as well as changes in these levels can promote autoimmunity. "Autoimmunity" is a condition whereby the immune system (which normally wards off foreign invaders of the body, such as infections) turns and attacks the body's own tissues, such as skin, joints, liver, lungs, etc. Autoimmune diseases typically feature inflammation of various tissues of the body.