Arthritis Statistics

An estimated 50 million adults in the United States reported being told by a doctor that they have some form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia.

The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis. Other common rheumatic conditions include gout, fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis.

An estimated 27 million adults had osteoarthritis in 2005.

One in five (22%) adults in the United States report having doctor diagnosed arthritis.

In 2007–2009, 50% of adults 65 years or older reported an arthritis diagnosis.

Almost 44% of adults with doctor-diagnosed arthritis report no leisure time physical activity compared with 36% of adults without arthritis.

By 2030, an estimated 67 million Americans ages 18 years or older are projected to have doctor-diagnosed arthritis.

An estimated 294,000 children under age 18 have some form of arthritis or rheumatic condition; this represents approximately 1 in every 250 children in the U.S.

LEARN MORE: The Arthritis Foundation

Alternative Treatment for Osteoarthritis

Alternative therapies for arthritis include everything from acupuncture, copper bracelets, and magnets to glucosamine and chondroitin supplements and yoga. But are any of these therapies really a match for your achy, creaky joints?

Many people with arthritis look to these alternative therapies to help relieve the pain, stiffness, stress, anxiety, and depression that accompany their disease. The Arthritis Foundation reports that two-thirds of people with arthritis have tried alternative therapies.

And some of these alternative treatments really work, say leading arthritis experts, and even have scientific evidence behind them (although most doctors admit that more research is needed). On the other hand, many more alternative treatments don't work or need more studies to support any anecdotal claims.

Here's what's known -- and not yet known -- about some of the more popular alternative arthritis remedies.

Battling Arthritis With Movement

The mind-body practices of yoga and tai chi may help many people with arthritis.

Though there are few studies that look at the effects of yoga on arthritis per se, a study published in the British Journal of Rheumatology did find that people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who participated in a yoga program over a three-month period had greater grip strength than those who did not practice yoga.

Another study published in the Journal of Rheumatology reported that people who practiced yoga showed a significant improvement in pain, tenderness, and finger range of motion for osteoarthritis (OA) of the hands.

Exercise also helps people with arthritis maintain a healthy weight, which can aid in alleviating some of the symptoms of the disease. Excess weight can make achy joints feel that much worse. Swimming, walking, and other low-impact exercises can also help with pain relief and weight loss.

Sticking It to Arthritis Pain

A recent study by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine estimated that 3.1 million adults in the U.S. are treated with acupuncture each year. And a lot of these individuals likely got needled to treat their arthritis. Acupuncture involves using thin needles to stimulate specific points on the body in hopes of removing blockages to channels of energy known as meridians, allowing energy to flow properly through the body.

A number of studies have looked at acupuncture in the two most common types of arthritis --OA and RA. The most recent review article involved 3,498 people with OA in 16 trials and found that acupuncture was superior to sham acupuncture for short-term improvements in pain and function, but that the benefits were pretty small.