Arthritis sufferers 'set to double'
Published on 09 May 2012 01:30 PM
The number of people who suffer with arthritis is set to double in the next two decades, according to a charity, and the Government must help disprove the myth that pain is a part of the ageing process.
Some 17 million British adults could suffer from arthritis by 2030, Arthritis Care said, adding that the nation will be engulfed by a 'tsunami of pain'.
A report commissioned by the charity discovered more than two in three arthritis sufferers say they are constantly in pain and one out of every eight say the pain is 'unbearable'.
The number of arthritis patients will increased by 100% due to obesity and the population becoming older, Professor of Musculoskeletal Medicine at the University of Leeds Philip Conaghan said.
'Britain is facing a tsunami of pain due to osteoarthritis as the number of people over 50 increases dramatically and obesity levels continue to rise. Action is needed immediately; we have to bust this myth that painful joints are an inevitable part of getting older that we have to put up with,' said Professor Conaghan.
Copyright Press Association 2012