Arthritis – A Life Long Condition?
INTRODUCTION: Arthritis is defined as the presence of swelling, the presence of effusion (The escape of fluid into another part), or the presence of 2 or more of the following signs: limited range of motion (ROM), tenderness, pain on motion, or joint warmth. It is a chronic disease that will be with you for a long time and possibly for the rest of your life and is diagnosed through a careful evaluation of symptoms and a physical examination.
Arthritis is one of the most rapidly growing chronic conditions in North America and is a major cause of lost work time and serious disability for many people. It is not just an old person’s disease. The two most common types are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that happens when the body’s own immune system mistakenly attacks the synovium (cell lining inside the joint). It seems to have been described in paintings more than a century before the first detailed medical description of the condition in 1800 by Landre-Beauvais. The disease can be hard to diagnose early because it can begin gradually with subtle signs. Rheumatoid arthritis often starts in middle age and is most common in older people.
TREATMENT: Treatment choices include medications, reduction of joint stress, physical and occupational therapy, and surgical intervention. Treatment decisions require carefully considering the risks versus benefits.
Treating rheumatoid arthritis may involve: Lifestyle alterations, Medicine, Surgery, Regular MD visits as well as Alternative therapies. The goal of treatment in this chronic disease must be 2 fold: to alleviate the suffering of the patient here and now, and to prevent the future destruction of the joints and resulting handicap if the disease is left unattended.
RISK: The risk of first developing the disease (the disease incidence) appears to be greatest for women between 40 and 50 years of age, and for men somewhat later. It is important to recognize that patients with rheumatoid arthritis have an increased risk of developing lymphoma as a consequence of their autoimmune disease, independently from any potential medication effects.
It is important to note that rheumatoid arthritis itself is a risk factor for non-Hodgkins lymphomas. A modest increase in the risk of serious infection was observed in rheumatoid arthritis patients in clinical trials treated with anakinra in combination with DMARDS and other TNF inhibitors, compared to a placebo with DMARDs (2 % vs 1%).
CONCLUSION: Arthritis is a term that groups together over 100 rheumatic diseases and other related conditions that cause stiffness, swelling and pain in the joints of the body. It is exploding in an aging US population and is one of the most rapidly growing chronic conditions in North America. Arthritis is a chronic disease that will be with you for a long time and possibly for the rest of your life.
