Can a young person have arthritis

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I am concerned about my joint pains and skin sensations.
Doctors have told me I cant suffer from arthritis at my age but my mom did.
I suffer from overpronation pointed out by my physical therapist. I have had lots of problems the last 5 years because of that as my shins get inflamed easily if I take too long or too many walks and last time my shins got inflamed they stayed that way for 6 months and that happened because I could not afford to buy new shoe insoles for foot support. I cant afford those kinds of things really only sometimes every few years.
I have some problem with my wrists too and last year I thought I had broken my wrist but I hadnt. The cold weather worsened it and when it was cold pain in my wrist was insufferable and I had weird sensations and woke up with my hand asleep. A nurse told me my symptoms are carpal tunnel syndrome. Now the weather is cold again and my arm is achy and a patch on my skin burns when any kind of pressure is applied to it like gently stroking it. Another thing i've noticed is I can't do things like iron clothes because the hand movements required make my wrist hurt for an hour afterwards to the point I cannot twist or bend it, like its completely stiff and I cant use it. My mom says she gets the same thing because of her arthritis and she has the same pins and needles-stuff too apparently so I looked that up and carpal tunnel is common with arthritis. Doctors told me young people cannot have arthritis so its very confusing. How do I get confirmed if I have arthritis without x-rays ? For my mom it took until a few years ago before it showed on x-rays but shes had it since my age. Thats because nothing shows until things have really started breaking down in the joints at least with regular x-ray, I dont know if other x-rays can show it sooner im not an xrayxpert.

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Comments ( 9 )
  • SwickDinging
    2 years ago

    What doctor did you speak to?

    Children can get arthritis.

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  • 1234tellmethatyoulovememore
    2 years ago

    Hello! I am a 25 year old with arthritis. Yes, we can get it.

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  • RoseIsabella
    2 years ago

    See a rheumatologist, dear heart.

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  • DADNSCAL
    2 years ago

    I agree with the other comments. You need a second opinion. Arthritis, while rare to strike young people, does.

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  • Boojum
    2 years ago

    Either the doctor bought his medical degree online for a few hundred bucks, or there was a failure of communication between you two.

    In medical terms, osteoarthritis is typically something only older people have since it's due to the progressive damage of joint cartilage that happens with use over many years. Arthritis is inflammation of the joints which can be caused by infection, genetics or metabolic problems, and it can happen at any age. My grandmother had arthritis from her late teens.

    Since these are both relatively common problems, any competent GP should know that it's possible for younger people to have arthritis.

    I agree with olderdude's advice: you should see a specialist.

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  • olderdude-xx
    2 years ago

    Yes a young person can get arthritis; although it's very rare (almost always an inherited condition).

    Also, a joint injury that is not set up to heal properly can cause it. Most surgeons who repair knees, elbows, hands, feet, shoulders, etc now know enough to minimize or prevent injury recovery arthritis.

    However, its far more likely to be something other than arthritis; and your mother may have been carring the wrong name for her issues. Back in her day all most doctors knew about was "arthritis" - so they would tell people they had it, when they really did not.

    LornaMae is totally correct that you need to see a Rheumatologist. They specialize in these kinds of issues - and they most certainly will be interested in your family history (your mom might wish to come with you to the appointment so she can describe to the Rheumatologist what she exactly felt.

    Most GPs and Nurses don't know enough, and will tell you all kinds of things that are not correct.

    I wish you well with this,

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    • Somenormie
      2 years ago

      So essentially it is possible but rare for young people to have it.

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      • olderdude-xx
        2 years ago

        Yes, but its much more likely that you actually have something else that you have mislabeled as "arthritis" because in your mother's day it was mislabeled and that is what she was told to call it.

        You really need to see a Rheumatologist.

        Note: If you look at death certificates from a century or longer ago... many people died of "Consumption."

        Now no one in the modern world dies of Consumption. We know have a variety of other names for what was wrong with a person that they died from. The different names are because we now can test and see all sorts of different issues.

        I'm betting that its not actually arthritis.

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  • LornaMae
    2 years ago

    What kind of doctor have you consulted with? A GP or a rheumatologist?

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