Joints speak

World Arthritis Day is celebrated on October 12. Study suggests that the disease affects around 15% which is about 180 million people in India. Dr Ajay Gupta tells you how one can track the symptoms and manage it

The World Arthritis Day is celebrated each year on Oct 12 since 1996. It is observed to raise awareness about arthritis around the world. Arthritis affects around 15% people which is about 180 million people in India. The World Health Organisation data show that 0.3-1% of the world’s population has rheumatoid arthritis and 18%  women while around 10% men above 60 yrs have “symptomatic osteoarthritis”. Commonly known as gatiya, which means inflammation and swelling in the joints, Arthritis is often misunderstood as the disease of the old age. 

Arthritis is broadly classified into two types: Inflammatory and Degenerative. Degenerative, known as osteoarthritis is the disease which comes with age (>50 years) and has a high association with being overweight. Inflammatory arthritis affects the individual from as early as an infant of two years to 40-50 years. Most of patients fall in the young age group of 20-40 which is their peak time for the careers and family. Osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are two of the most common types of arthritis. But there are around 50 types of arthritis which can affect people.

Symptoms

If you experience joint pain, stiffness, and swelling, pain in the hand and foot joints along with swelling, severe backache and neck pain, then it could be arthritis. There are some very early and peculiar symptom such as the night pains and morning stiffness which lasts for 30-40 minutes and patients find it difficult to start their day.

Some arthritis effects our internal organs as well causing non-specific symptoms of low grade fever (without a cause), bluish discoloration of hands, mouth ulcers, hair fall, rashes over the body. Arthritis is a common feature of autoimmune diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Gout, Lupus (SLE), Sjogrens Syndrome, Scleroderma, vasculitis which are categorised under inflammatory arthritis.

Diagnosis

The complete physical examination, medical history, radiological & following laboratory investigations are commonly used to diagnose arthritis: CBC , ESR ,C-Reactive protein, ANA, RA factor , Anti-CCP , Complement levels , Uric acid , Urine R/M, Examination of synovial fluid via Arthrocentesis , HLA-B27 (for ankylosing spondylitis)and others. Clinician/rheumatologists help is required in narrowing the diagnosis and individualising the treatment according to a particular case, as arthritis behaves differently in every individual.  But what is most important to understand is not to self-medicate by using painkillers, as they do not halt the disease, rather they will lead to unnecessary side effects. The diagnosis of arthritis starts with the first step of going to see a specialist. Upon confirming the symptoms, it will take extraction and analysis of inflammation levels in the blood and joint fluids for an expert to determine the kind of arthritis one may have.

Management

The management of arthritis begins with reducing the amount of pain that one is experiencing, preventing further damage to the affected areas, as well as improving or maintaining function and quality of life. With that mind, doctors often prescribe a combination of treatment methods, including anti-inflammatory and pain relieving medications, to achieve the best results.

The writer is MD, Head Autoimmune Diagnostics, SRL Diagnostics

Exercise is key

Management of arthritis include a few simple lifestyle changes, which include:

• Physical therapy: A course of physical therapy is often recommended by doctors for patients to overcome some of the challenges and regain some extent of control of mobility. It is an important part of arthritis treatment, and it includes different physical exercises that help strengthen the muscles around the affected joints. Walking, swimming and cycling are some of the most effective joint-friendly physical activities that are appropriate for adults with arthritis.       
• Organised lifestyle: Stay aware of your condition, keep track of the symptoms, and always stay on the toes about the consultations and follow-ups with your doctor regarding your condition.
• Learn to manage pain and fatigue: For an arthritis patient, learning to manage the pain and fatigue is like taking control over your condition. It is the key to living comfortably.
• Stay active: Avoid lazing around, and try to exercise and stay active as much as possible. It is not just beneficial for management of arthritis, but also good for overall health.
• Remember to rest: Staying active is important, and so is getting enough rest. It will provide relief to your joints and save them from exhaustion.
• Eat a healthy diet: A healthy diet helps in managing the body weight and control inflammation.

Try to avoid refined and processed food as much as possible, and consume more foods that are high in antioxidants and have high anti-inflammatory properties.

Although arthritis cannot be cured completely, it can be effectively managed with the right treatment and simple lifestyle changes. Just make sure to always stay in touch with your doctor to consult any changes in symptoms, and take your medicines on time.

The writer is Dr Naval Mendiratta