Celebrities who suffer from arthritis

World Arthritis Day is observed annually on 12 October. The disease affects over 300-million people and is expected to double by 2030. It is also the leading cause of disability, reports Global RA Network website. 

Symptoms: 

A person who suffers from arthritis may experience some of these symptoms. 

- Morning stiffness, lasting longer than 30 minutes

- Pain and/or inflammation in the same joints on both sides of your body

- Pain in three or more joints at the same time

- Loss of motion in affected joints

- Joint swelling that lasts for more than three days

- Joint swelling that occurs more than three times a month

- Difficulty moving a joint

- Severe fatigue

- Scaly, itchy skin 

- Changes to finger and toe nails 

- Rashes

- Fever

- Weight loss

- Hair loss in spots or around the hairline.

Treatments: 

A healthy lifestyle is key to improving one’s condition. It is important to adhere to medical advice and to check what you eat. Your doctor will diagnose and give you the relevant treatment based on your condition.

There is also physical therapy. According to arthritis.org, physical therapy does the following:

- Improves the mobility and restores the use of affected joints,  

- Increases the strength to support the joints,  

- Maintain fitness, and 

- Preserves the ability to perform daily activities. 

Arthritis.org website recommends drinking willow bark and ginger teas because of their anti-inflammatory properties. 

Let’s look at celebrities who suffer from arthritis. 

Kathleen Turner

The two-time Golden Globe Award winner has been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis for over two decades.  

“I was told I’d be in a wheelchair the rest of my life because of rheumatoid arthritis,” Turner told journalist Mary Elizabeth Williams on Salon Talks show. 

The actor has undergone 12 surgeries. 

“I’ve had to have joints replaced and cut out,” she told the show presenter. 

Megan Park

Actress Megan Park was diagnosed with RA during her childhood. Park told People Magazine that she knew something wasn’t right when she “had all the classic symptoms: extreme joint swelling, different pain, the inability to do certain things that everyone else could.”

‘The Secret Life of the American Teenager’ star says she is not the only one in her family to have the disease. 

"In addition to living with RA myself, my mom also has RA, and she taught me how important it is to speak up about my health and seek answers and options when in the doctor's office," she was quoted as saying in prnewswire.com. 

Caitlyn Jenner

Reality star Caitlyn Jenner had her first knee operation in 1969 and has been diagnosed with osteoarthritis. 

“When you have osteoarthritis, you have constant pain- whether you're walking up and down hills or running after your kids - [so] you always know it's there,” she told everydayhealth.com.

“On the other hand, I have had to give up doing certain things because it's a degenerative disease,” she added. 

The star says she had to give up running and playing tennis. 

Jenner’s treatment includes taking supplements. 

“I routinely take the nutritional supplement glucosamine, and I find that it does help. When I get a flare-up, I take an anti-inflammatory [medication] to make the pain manageable,” she told the publication. 

Phil Mickelson 

Golfer Phil Mickelson suffers from psoriatic arthritis. He has blamed poor eating habits for his condition.

“I ended up eating poorly, I ended up drinking soda, I ended up eating sugar – I just didn’t eat the way I should have and I think it led to me getting psoriatic arthritis, and I think it led to me not being overall healthy,” he told South China Morning Post.

Below, the Arthritis Society has shared great, healthy meals for those affected by the disease. 

Image courtesy of Instagram/ @caitlynjenner

Disclaimer: Health-related information provided in this article is not a substitute for medical advice and should not be used to diagnose or treat health problems. It is always advisable to consult with your doctor on any health-related issues.