When you think of "arthritis," what comes to mind? For many, it's a fuzzy psychic picture. For millions of Americans, however, the visualize of arthritis is in painful focus.

The full term arthritis refers to more than 100 different types of related conditions. Atrophic arthritis (RA), for instance, is a form of inflammatory arthritis and affects more than 1.3 million people in the Conjugate States, close to 75 percent of whom are women.

Atomic number 88 is also often referred to as an "invisible" chronic illness, as its most common signs — inflammation, joint stiffness, and internal pain — are difficult if not infeasible to see with the naked eye. And the nature of flare-ups means that RA can range from being a minor nuisance one day to debilitating the next. People who have invisible chronic illnesses corresponding Radium can experience stigma or encounter secernment from those World Health Organization don't conceive or understand they are ill. For many, this stigma is a barrier to talking about it, and can negatively affect how they look about themselves.

Sharing personal experiences and dispelling myths promotes understanding and sack help reduce stigma and secernment. Here are the best Twitter accounts to follow for news, stories, tips, and plump for aside and for the RA profession.

Anna is a self-declared RA warrior. Her Twitter handle refers to the quaternate hep replacements she's had ascribable her RA, though her surgeries haven't prevented her from organism a fierce athlete. Tweets range from personal to political to #chroniclife realities.

Follow her @sixhips

The Chirrup arm of U.K.-settled "Arthritis Digest" magazine, here you'll get the lowdown on the latest arthritis research. Their articles summarize the results of recent research studies, modern apps that could be helpful to arthritis sufferers, and much. This is a great account to follow if staying abreast of RA research is important to you.

Follow them @ArthritisDigest

With their sights set on curing arthritis, the Arthritis Federal Research Foundation's tweets are geared toward promoting awareness and support through chats, conferences, and charity opportunities. The foundation also shares syntactic category accounts of people living with arthritis and prolonged autoimmune diseases.

Follow them @ArthritisNRF

Ashley Boynes-Shuck is a wellness coach, advocate, and writer of the books "Sick Idiot" and "Inveterately Positive." She lives with RA, as well as several other degenerative conditions, and aims to spread positivity and savvy through and through her online mien. Check out her blog and follow her connected Twitter if you're superficial for inspirational images and positivity with just the right amount of real talk.

Follow her @ArthritisAshley

CreakyJoints has been spreading awareness active arthritis and providing support to the arthritis community at sizable since 1999. Their tweets kitchen stove from every day fundamental facts about the condition, labeled #Arthritis365, to information well-nig chats, such as #CreakyChats, #JointDecisions, and #RheumChat. Follow for retweetable facts and worthwhile conversation.

Trace them @CreakyJoints

Britt, the Hurt Blogger, is an Celestial longitude advocate and blogger, both in person and professionally. Britt's tweets are colloquial and provide a peek into the often frustrating receive that is spirit with Right ascension. Feel out her account for polls, memes, and solidarity.

Tweet her @HurtBlogger

A rheumatologist by profession, Boston-based Dr. Hausmann tweets about medical news and modern publications about arthritis as well as about broader discussions in the medical field, like the ever-changing role of technology in medicine. Hausmann also maintains a internet site with more resources connected autoinflammatory diseases. In keeping with his Free State status, Hausmann's tweets may Be particularly interesting for those who don't mind a unimportant medical lingo.

Tweet him @hausmannMD

Kate "the {almost} great" Reginald Joseph Mitchell is a writer living with inflammatory arthritis and fibromyalgia. Most of her tweets link to Mitchell's writing about chronic illness and keep with it, while the rest of the time her tweets are an eclectic mix of travel, fashion, and playfulness!

Follow her @kmitchellauthor

As her handle acknowledges, Kelly Young is an RA warrior. She maintains a blog of the same name, and shares her posts through Chirrup. Her content includes information on medical enquiry, topical intend pieces about RA, personal accounts of RA, and resources for those who support RA patients. Surveil her for thoughtful commentary along living with RA.

Follow her @rawarrior

Following Leslie Rott's account feels like following a friend. The PhD, blogger, and health advocate tweets about her experiences living with RA and lupus, though also shares ad hominem snapshots that aren't explicitly even to illness. Rott likewise shares her professional posts on what it's like living with prolonged illness, so much as how to discuss information technology busy.

Follow her @LeslieRott

RA Guy is a blogger and the founding father of the Celestial longitude Guy Foundation, a nonprofit that seeks to surround people with RA with the fend for they ask to "live above the illness." His Chirrup deal reflects this destination of community, as RA Guy posts questions (and responses), follower-generated memes, and messages of solidarity and support. Every Midweek he tweets an image of a lit candle for people who suffer from degenerative pain, natural depression, and related illnesses.

Follow him @RA_Guy

Hayrick Phillips' calculate is all about advocating for conversation just about chronic sickness. Of late, he's been promoting #RAblog workweek (September 26 to October 2) and involved in online chats. Regardless of content, his tweets often have a little of humor to them. Phillips also manages Celestial longitude Diabetes, a website and blog with resources happening living with those two conditions.

Follow him @LawrPhil