World Arthritis Day celebrated

Hyderabad: If symptoms like pain in the joints, stiffness, swelling, decreased range of motion, difficulty in moving the limbs, fatigue, poor sleep, muscle weakness are felt,  then it’s time for visiting a doctor, as it could be a reduction in smoothness of joints, which in medical terms known as ‘Arthritis’. It is a condition in which patients feel inflammation in joints, causing pain and stiffness that worsens with age and as the disease progresses. 

On the eve of the World Arthritis Day which falls on October 12, doctors explain that Arthritis is a very common disease, which is not well understood by the people. There are more than 100 forms of arthritis, but the ones that commonly occur are rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis. The different kinds of Arthritis are: Degenerative Arthritis (Age related and Injury related), Inflammatory Arthritis, Infectious Arthritis and Metabolic Arthritis (Disease related).

Dr Mitta Ashwin Kumar, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Aware Gleneagles Global Hospitals (L B Nagar), explained that if the arthritis follows after any injury (Traumatic arthritis), it should be diagnosed early with necessary scans like CT and MRI and further progression can be arrested by early management of injury. In Disease related arthritis like Rheumatoid arthritis, Psoriatic arthritis and Gouty arthritis, a multidisciplinary approach involving usage of appropriate drugs, physiotherapy support usage of splints are needed.

Dr Ashwin said that despite doing all the above treatment modalities, if the arthritis still progresses, surgery would help. Various types of surgeries like Joint Replacement surgery (knee, hip, ankle, shoulder etc.), Arthroscopy of Joints, Arthrodesis of Joints (giving fixed, pain-free joint) can be considered.  The type of surgery will be based on the type and stage of arthritis.

“Primary goal in the treatment of Arthritis is arresting or slowing down the progress of Joint damage. I advise people to consult for any persisting joint related pains even after using over-the-counter pain relieving medication for a few days. The treatment should be initiated as early as possible for good outcome and to preserve joint mobility,” the doctor said.