It’s a battle of the sexes in the case of rheumatoid arthritis. A study just released from “Arthritis Research and Therapy finds that women with arthritis have a tougher time dealing with the aches and pains than men.

Dr. Juan Bustillo is a rheumatologist with Lee Physician Group and says “in the case of rheumatoid arthritis, its basically a combination of genetic factors. Patients are genetically pre-disposed. Environmental factors we know of such as smoking is a risk factor in rheumatoid arthritis.”

Since men are generally stronger than women, researchers believe that men may have the upper hand when it comes to tolerating pain, which could be why women seem to have a harder time with it.

Seeking early treatment can also help in the pain management process. “Treatment is very important in the case of rheumatoid arthritis. You want to have good control of your disease,” adds Dr. Bustillo. He says that regardless of gender, it’s important for all arthritis sufferers to never let their guard down, “it’s very important to be aware, be educated and stay on top of your condition.”

Proving that knowledge is power when it comes to the battle over arthritis.