Question
I have several questions-don't know anything about arthritis.  
What is the difference b/tw rheumatoid and osteoarthritis as far as symptoms, age of onset, etc go?
Can teenagers be affected?  How common is arthritis of knee in young people?
Is arthritis suffering increased with cold weather?
Does arthritis just cause discomfort/pain, or is there incurring damage to joints?
How does a doctor diagnose arthritis?
Is it curable, or just manageable?
Can arthritis be limited to just one area of the body, or does it start in one place and spread to other joints eventually?

Sorry to bombard you-if you don't have time to answer all these please just email me a link to your website's info....Thank you -

Answer
Laura,

Happy to help. You have a lot of questions so my answers will be brief. I will leave a link to where you can get more info at the end.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune condition that usually effects most joints in your body. Osteoarthritis is caused by wear and tear or trauma to joints. Except for a joint that receives trauma it usually begins later in life as joints are effected by years of use. Rheumatoid arthritis can begin at any time. Rheumatoid arthritis usually results in more inflammation and more chronic pain and discomfort.

Yes, teenagers can be effected and children as well.

Arthritis in the knee is not uncommon among young people. It is usually caused by an accident or strain from sports.

Many people find that cold and or damp weather causes their symptoms to be worse.

Unfortunately arthritis can and usually does cause permanent damage to joints. In many cases this damage can be minimized through treatment.

There are over 100 types of arthritis and coming up with an exact diagnosis can be complicated. In general it is diagnosed with x-rays, cat scans or MRI showing inflammation inside a joint and or joints. Also there are test such as the RA factor.

Most forms of arthritis are not curable. Some caused by infections or virus can be cured. Some forms such as Juvenile Rheumatoid arthritis can some times go away on their on.

Arthritis can be limited to one area of the body. In conditions such as Rheumatoid arthritis it can start in one place and spread but it never spreads evenly. When arthritis effects on joint such as a knee, it can spread to other joints such as ankles and hips because of improper strain the these joints caused by the felt need to favor the effected joint.

I hope that this answers your questions. You can find answers to most arthritis questions written in a patient friendly format at http://arthritis-symptom.com/

I wish you and your family good health.

Rusty