Top 10 Arthritis Pain Myths

Newsmax—February 4, 2015

Simply put, arthritis is inflammation in joints and surrounding tissue that causes pain and debilitation. However, over 100 conditions fall under the scope of arthritis and discerning facts from myths about the symptoms, treatments and environmental factors that trigger pain can be daunting.

Here are 10 common myths about arthritis pain:

1. Popping your knuckles will cause arthritis - The myth that "cracking joints" will cause osteoarthritis is very common. However, according to WebMD, knuckle popping is annoying to other people but it is not harmful and does not cause arthritis. "If cracking is accompanied by pain, there could be underlying abnormalities of the structures of the joint, such as loose cartilage or injured ligaments."

2. Only old people get arthritis - Not so says Dr. Vivian Bykerk, assistant attending rheumatologist at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. "It can happen to 1 and 2-year-olds, it can happen to 90-year-olds and to anyone in between," reports ABC News.

3. Diet has no effect on arthritis pain -  There are definitely foods to add to the diet that can help manage arthritis pain. Inflammation is the key culprit in arthritis and the addition of inflammation fighting foods such as fish, olive oil, whole grains, fruits and vegetables has been shown to help alleviate arthritis pain symptoms.

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