Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPrognosisCopingFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
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Table of Contents
Types
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prognosis
Coping
Frequently Asked Questions
Early-onsetarthritisis joint disease that strikes earlier in life than is typical. What that age is depends on the type of arthritis. For example, those who develop osteoarthritis (OA) before age 50 are considered to have an early-onset case. The same is also true for those diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) before age 30 or lupus before age 15.
Only 7% of diagnosed arthritis cases start between the ages of 18 and 44, connect the disease to older age.But early-onset arthritis can sometimes affect even very young children. All forms of juvenile arthritis are considered early-onset. They are typically due to an autoimmune condition, rather than wear and tear of the joints, like with OA.
The symptoms of early-onset arthritis are the same as for any case of arthritis. A notable difference, however, is that people early-onset must live with them longer.
This article discusses early-onset arthritis, including types, age of onset, and common symptoms. It also details how different types of early-onset arthritis are diagnosed and treated.
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Types of Early-Onset Arthritis
Like arthritis, early-onset arthritis comes in many forms. Of these, one (osteoarthritis) is associated with wear and tear of joints while the others are autoimmune diseases (in which the immune system attacks healthy tissues.)
What’s considered “early” depends on the specific type of arthritis. Some typically develop earlier than others.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis(RA), anautoimmuneand inflammatory disease, can occur at any age, so children can also be diagnosed with this condition. The typical age range for RA diagnosis is between 30 and 50.Before 30, it’s considered early onset.
Most often, symptoms come on slowly, starting with stiffness, pain, and swelling in a few joints, then becoming polyarticular in nature (more joints become involved). The explosive polyarticular onset and palindromic rheumatism are less common than this.
The first signs of early-onset RA include:
Also, weeks or even months before other symptoms arise, you can experience other symptoms that come and go:
What Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Progression Look Like?
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis(OA) is the most common form of arthritis.It can happenat any agebut usually starts in the 50s, so before age 50 is considered early onset.
Symptoms tend to occur gradually and get worse over time. Some common early symptoms are:
Why Is Early Diagnosis Important?
Psoriatic Arthritis
Those who suffer frompsoriasis, a skin disorder that causes red, scaly patches, can developpsoriatic arthritisabout 10 to 20 years after the skin disorder appears. A small percentage of those with psoriatic arthritis develop joint symptoms before the skin lesions. People typically develop psoriatic arthritis between 30 and 40 years old. Early-onset is before age 30.
Early symptoms of psoriatic arthritis include:
Clinical Features of Psoriatic Arthritis
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Symptoms ofankylosing spondylitismost often appear between the ages of 17 to 45. Before 17 would officially be early onset, but it may still be considered early in young adults. Early symptoms of this inflammatory disease include:
As time passes, the pain typically lasts longer and is felt on both sides, usually lasting for at least three months. Over the years, the stiffness and pain can travel up the spine and into the neck area, as well as the ribs, shoulder blades, hips, thighs, and heels.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) is an autoimmune condition that can affect all systems of the body.Lupus arthritispresents in a similar way to the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis is one of the most common ways for lupus to show itself.
The signs of lupus include:
Lupus is most often diagnosed in people between 15 and 45. Before 15 would be early onset.
How Lupus Affects the Aging Process
Juvenile Arthritis
The first signs ofjuvenile arthritiscan appear between the ages of 6 months and 16 years old. All juvenile arthritis is early onset.
Symptoms may include:
Although there is no cure, some children with arthritis achieve permanent remission, which means the disease is no longer active. However, any physical damage to the joint will remain.
Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA): Chronic Management in Children
Early-Onset Arthritis Symptoms
Early-onset arthritis symptoms include:
Causes of Early-Onset Arthritis
There are many risk factors for early-onset arthritis:
How Ankylosing Spondylitis Affects Women Differently
It is important to have a healthcare provider diagnose your arthritis because you can have more than one type at the same time. Diagnosis of early onset arthritis is similar for each type of arthritis.
To rule out other conditions that may mimic the symptoms of arthritis, your healthcare provider will need the following to determine the cause of your symptoms:
The earlier you understand your arthritis, the earlier you can start managing your disease, reducing pain, and making healthy lifestyle changes.
How Arthritis Is Diagnosed
For all forms of arthritis, early diagnosis and proper treatment are important, as they can help prevent or minimize further damage joint damage. People who are diagnosed with any form of arthritis earlier can prevent their condition from worsening over the years.
Treatments for early-onset arthritis include:
For inflammatory arthritis like RA, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and SLE, early treatment can greatly reduce the symptoms and slow disease progression. Stopping inflammation has been shown to not only stop joint swelling and pain, but also to decrease risk of heart complications.
With osteoarthritis, for early treatment to be successful, it needs to be identified before the development of joint damage, substantial cartilage loss, or malalignment. Waiting for damaged joints to show up on an X-ray is too late, since many of the issues that can be found on an X-ray would not be reversible.
Experiencing the symptoms of arthritis at an earlier age can be challenging, but there are ways to cope and maintain a positive outlook. Putting together a team of professionals like your primary care provider, arheumatologist(a doctor who treats joint diseases), and a physical or occupational therapist can help you slow disease progression.
Tips for coping with early-onset arthritis include:
A Word From Verywell
It can be scary to experience the symptoms of arthritis early in life. It’s important to remember that while it cannot be cured, there are many things you can do to stay healthy and prevent it from getting worse.
Listening to your body and having your joint pain checked out early can avoid the complications of a more advanced version of the many forms of arthritis. In many cases, early diagnosis and treatment can delay disease progression and minimize the impact your condition has on your daily life.
Frequently Asked QuestionsIf osteoarthritis is diagnosed before damage is severe enough to show up on an X-ray, it may be reversible. More advanced disease is not. Autoimmune forms of arthritis are manageable but not reversible.Learn MoreHow Arthritis Is Treated
If osteoarthritis is diagnosed before damage is severe enough to show up on an X-ray, it may be reversible. More advanced disease is not. Autoimmune forms of arthritis are manageable but not reversible.Learn MoreHow Arthritis Is Treated
If osteoarthritis is diagnosed before damage is severe enough to show up on an X-ray, it may be reversible. More advanced disease is not. Autoimmune forms of arthritis are manageable but not reversible.
Learn MoreHow Arthritis Is Treated
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Barbour KE, Helmick CG, Boring M, Brady TJ.Vital signs: prevalence of doctor-diagnosed arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation—United States, 2013–2015.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017 Mar 10;66(9):246-253. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6609e1Johns Hopkins Medicine.Rheumatoid arthritis.Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Rheumatoid arthritis signs and symptoms.Felson DT, Hodgson R.Identifying and treating preclinical and early osteoarthritis.Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2014;40(4):699-710. doi:10.1016/j.rdc.2014.07.012Arthritis Foundation.Osteoarthritis.Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Psoriatic arthritis signs and symptoms.Spondylitis Association of America.Most common symptoms.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Childhood arthritis.Arthritis Foundation.Do I have arthritis?Arthritis Foundation.Arthritis self-management: what you need to know.Arthritis Foundation.Managing emotions and arthritis.
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Barbour KE, Helmick CG, Boring M, Brady TJ.Vital signs: prevalence of doctor-diagnosed arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation—United States, 2013–2015.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017 Mar 10;66(9):246-253. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6609e1Johns Hopkins Medicine.Rheumatoid arthritis.Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Rheumatoid arthritis signs and symptoms.Felson DT, Hodgson R.Identifying and treating preclinical and early osteoarthritis.Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2014;40(4):699-710. doi:10.1016/j.rdc.2014.07.012Arthritis Foundation.Osteoarthritis.Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Psoriatic arthritis signs and symptoms.Spondylitis Association of America.Most common symptoms.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Childhood arthritis.Arthritis Foundation.Do I have arthritis?Arthritis Foundation.Arthritis self-management: what you need to know.Arthritis Foundation.Managing emotions and arthritis.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Barbour KE, Helmick CG, Boring M, Brady TJ.Vital signs: prevalence of doctor-diagnosed arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation—United States, 2013–2015.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017 Mar 10;66(9):246-253. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6609e1Johns Hopkins Medicine.Rheumatoid arthritis.Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Rheumatoid arthritis signs and symptoms.Felson DT, Hodgson R.Identifying and treating preclinical and early osteoarthritis.Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2014;40(4):699-710. doi:10.1016/j.rdc.2014.07.012Arthritis Foundation.Osteoarthritis.Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Psoriatic arthritis signs and symptoms.Spondylitis Association of America.Most common symptoms.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Childhood arthritis.Arthritis Foundation.Do I have arthritis?Arthritis Foundation.Arthritis self-management: what you need to know.Arthritis Foundation.Managing emotions and arthritis.
Barbour KE, Helmick CG, Boring M, Brady TJ.Vital signs: prevalence of doctor-diagnosed arthritis and arthritis-attributable activity limitation—United States, 2013–2015.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017 Mar 10;66(9):246-253. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6609e1
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Rheumatoid arthritis.
Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Rheumatoid arthritis signs and symptoms.
Felson DT, Hodgson R.Identifying and treating preclinical and early osteoarthritis.Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2014;40(4):699-710. doi:10.1016/j.rdc.2014.07.012
Arthritis Foundation.Osteoarthritis.
Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Psoriatic arthritis signs and symptoms.
Spondylitis Association of America.Most common symptoms.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Childhood arthritis.
Arthritis Foundation.Do I have arthritis?
Arthritis Foundation.Arthritis self-management: what you need to know.
Arthritis Foundation.Managing emotions and arthritis.
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