We CAN NOT speak enough about the relationship between stress and chronic conditions such as Arthritis (all forms), diabetes, heart disease,hypertension,all auto immune disease etc.
I believe we have not spoken on the subject because of the inability to measure stress. However why not measure it in the same way we do pain?

Since there is a chemical response in the body that decreases the immune system and therefore making you susceptible to chronic disease, we would be remiss to not give it as much if not more attention as we give to heart disease,cancer,diabetes etc.

Perhaps if we would make stress our PRIMARY focus there would be a profound decrease in all the above mentioned chronic disease.
Stress sets up an inflammatory process in your body by the release of a chemical reaction in our body. This inflammation follows the release of white blood cell since your body has rightfully interpreted your stress as a dangerous life threatening situation and is ready to fight off an invasion of foreign substance. The problem with the body response is that a tiger is NOT after you and you are NOT hunting in the jungle for your dinner. The stress is being triggered because your boss has given you a project with a tight deadline, or your child just got hurt at school, or a family member just delivered bad news...must I go on.

Our body does not categorize our stress as should the body follows what it is programed to do.
This inflammation causes damage to the body's tissue,joint deterioration, and over time the immune system is broken down. An ill functioning immune system can began to turn on the body (ie; fibromyalgia , rheumatoid arthritis and others)

IN SHORT IT IS LIFE SAVING FOR US LEARN METHODS TO CONTROL OUR EVERYDAY STRESS