Chatelaine_April_May_2019

PERSONALHEALTHNEWS.CA

More than six million Canadians — one in fi ve people —

live with the devastating eff ects of arthritis. Having it

can lead to pain, lack of mobility, and poor mental health.

Here’s what you need to know:

Arthritis is serious

Arthritis causes swelling, stiff ness, and irreversible joint

damage that can permanently impact your mobility. Infl am-

mation related to the condition can also aff ect your internal

organs and eyesight and can contribute to life-threatening dis-

eases or premature death. Arthritis takes a toll on your career,

relationships, and family — and it’s with you for life.

Arthritis can affect anyone

Arthritis can strike people of any age, from any walk of life

— even children. That means anyone you know can develop

arthritis — yourself included.

Early diagnosis is important

There’s no cure for arthritis yet, but with the right treatment

and lifest yle choices you can slow its prog ression and maintain

your quality of life. Delaying diagnosis risks permanent joint

damage.

Find out if you’re affected

If you have recurring symptoms such as joint pain or stiff ness,

or fatigue, use the Arthritis Society’s Symptom Checker tool

and speak with your doctor about your results.

If you already have arthritis, the Arthritis Society’s Self-Ad-

vocacy Guide can help you learn how to manage your disease

and get the support you need. Learn more at arthritis.ca.

Siân Bevan, Ph.D., Chief Science Offi cer, Arthritis Society

Th ink You Might Have

Arthritis? Find Out Now

Autoimmune Disease

Understanding

Arthritis causes joint pain, swelling and fatigue, impacting everyday life.

The sooner you have a diagnosis the better.

Take the Arthritis Society symptom checker and talk to your doctor.

Knowing you have arthritis is important.

arthtritis.ca/symptomchecker

Publisher: Sarah LiderriBusiness Developer: Jesse Adamson Country Manager: Jacob Weingarten Content Production Manager: Ellen Asiedu Lead Designer:

Michael SheaWeb Editor:Kaleigh McLelland Contributors: Siân Bevan, D.F. McCourt, Mediaplanet, Anne Papmehl, Michele Sponagle Cover Photo: Alex Evans

Photo credits: Colin Stark All images are from Getty Images unless otherwise credited. This campaign was made possible with the support of research-based

pharmaceutical companies. The opinions expressed in these materials are those of Mediaplanet and do not necessarily refl ect the view of the aforementioned

parties. Send all inquiries to [email protected]. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve Chatelaine or its editorial departments.

A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BYMEDIAPLANET

speaks candidly about her rheumatoid arthritis.

Read her interview on the next page.

Megan Park

Canadian actress