Many older adults experience at least one type of arthritis. Whether it is osteoarthritis, gout, or rheumatoid arthritis, talk to your doctor about arthritis if you are experiencing ongoing joint pain or tenderness, joint swelling, joint stiffness, problems using or moving a joint as you normally would, and/or warmth and redness in a joint area. Thankfully, there are ways to help control the signs and symptoms of arthritis. This includes exercise, getting enough rest, eating a healthy diet that is well balanced, and learning the right way to use and protect your joints. Of course, talking to your doctor about what is best for you.

It can be difficult to find reliable information about arthritis in Spanish. Here are two resources in Spanish that we have found to be very helpful:

1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provide the following in Spanish: basic information about arthritis, informational highlights, intervention programs, resources, and a section called “La Artritis y Usted”.
2. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) offers a free factsheet in Spanish on arthritis called “Consejos sobre la artritis.” The factsheet includes information on the types of arthritis, treatments, things you can do, and resources to obtain more information.

Here are some articles (in English) from the NIDILRR community that would be of benefit to those with arthritis who speak Spanish:

1. Spanish arthritis empowerment program: A dissemination and effectiveness study. (NARIC Accession Number: J47580).
2. Cross-Cultural Adaptation of a Brief Outcome Questionnaire for Spanish-Speaking Arthritis Patients. (NARIC Accession Number: J31017).
3. Racial/ethnic differences in ADL disability among older adults with arthritis: A longitudinal study. (NARIC Accession Number: J60373).

The NIDILRR funded ENACT project has a series of podcasts in English on leading an active life with arthritis. If you are looking for resources in your area, please feel free to contact our Information Specialists via chat, email, submission of an information request or order, or by phone at 800/346-8742 (V – Se habla español) or 301/459-5984 (TTY). If you are experiencing the signs and symptoms of arthritis, please contact your doctor.