Do you have difficulty climbing stairs? A sudden stiffness or pain after sitting for a long duration? Don’t ignore it. You could be having arthritis. And it is not something that affects only older people, as is the common belief. Arthritis, especially osteoarthritis, is on an alarming rise with a study saying we have over 180 million patients in India, some below the age of 25. In addition, this disease is on the rise among women. This figure is increasing at an exponential rate and hence arthritis has to be curtailed to the earliest.
What is arthritis?
Arthritis is a painful degenerative condition of joints, which arises as the pain sensitizers in the bone ends at a joint, which are normally covered by cartilage wear out and results in bone-to-bone friction, which makes movements painfully restricted and deteriorates the quality of life.
What are the symptoms of arthritis?
u Pain, which increases with activities.
u Limitation in range of movement.
u Stiffness of joint.
u Swelling of joints.
u Tenderness along the joints.
u Feeling that joint may give out.
u Deformity of joint [knock and bow legs]
Importance of Arthritis in Goa: In Goa, Osteoarthritis is commonly seen amongst the eldery in the age group of 62 – 80 years. Our bony structure, lifestyle and climate are such that the knee joint is the most commonly affected joint in the body followed by the hip and shoulder joints. When the cartilage, which is the slick, cushioning surface on the ends of bones, wears away, bone rubs against bone, thus causing pain, swelling and stiffness. Over time, joints can lose strength and pain may become chronic. With our ever changing lifestyle, lack of exercise and proper diet and hectic working pattern, the severity of arthritis in women is particular on the rise.
Early detection is very crucial to tackle this disorder. If detected in the early stages, doctors can manage the pain by modifying your diet, balancing your day to day activity with rest, giving you over the counter pills to manage swelling and pain, maintaining a healthy weight, strengthening the muscles around the joint for additional support, amongst other remedies. Changing one’s diet involves better food habits, higher antioxidant content through green leafy vegetables, high protein diet and adequate Vitamin D and calcium foods.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA): is a disorder in which the body’s own immune system starts to attack body tissues. This is the second most common type of arthritis in Goa, seen very common in females around 30-40 years. This is again a disease, which affects the small joints of hand, and if treated in time, can be well controlled. The attack is not only directed at the joint but to many other parts of the body. In rheumatoid arthritis, most damage occurs to the joint lining and cartilage which eventually results in erosion of two opposing bones. RA often affects joints in the fingers, wrists, knees and elbows. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects about 0.92% of adult population in India. Early diagnosis and aggressive therapy can usually prevent permanent disability. This, unfortunately, does not happen in many cases.
Gout: is caused by deposition of uric acid crystals in the joint, causing inflammation. Gout is more common in Goa then the rest of the country because of higher meat intake especially red meat, shell fish and a higher consumption level of alcohol, all of which have high levels of uric acid.
When patients suffering from early stage arthritis visit me, they can be easily managed without surgery through conventional methods. However, when degeneration has already set in the bones, and then patients come for treatment, the only alternative left is to undergo a Total Joint Replacement surgery. In a joint replacement procedure, the damaged bones and cartilage are replaced with bio-compatible metal components and patients have immediate pain relief. At my hospital, Orthopaedic Hospital for Surgery, the entire surgery takes less than 2 hours and we make patients walk 4 hours after the surgery on their new knee and we take pride in seeing their joy on their pain relieved faces. With the advance in technology, materials and surgical skills, Joint replacement has become a very safe procedure in todays’ world. In India itself, over 75,000 Joint replacement surgeries take place every year. Around 900 of which occur in Goa itself, a state with a population of about 15 Lakh.
The Late 50’s and early 60’s are a crucial time to focus on disease prevention. It is never too late to adopt a healthy lifestyle to enjoy a longer healthier life. Remember, if you are suffering from any form of bone or Joint pain, Do Not Wait!!Go see a Doctor today. The thumb rule says “if you can do all regular physical activities and knee exercises, with minimal pain, joint Replacement is best to be postponed’. Studies have shown that patients who are healthier while undergoing joint replacement surgery tends to have better results after surgery.
