By Dr. Sajjan Shenoy
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune systemic inflammatory disorder which can affect multiple organs if left untreated. Studies show that about 1% of the population in developed countries suffer from RA, whereas research in India shows that 0.9% of the local population suffers from RA.
The initial symptoms are swelling and inflammation in the joints. An average of 60-70% of the patients I see in my day to day clinic suffer from RA. Incidences of RA are ever-increasing which could be partly due to the rapidly changing environmental factors and also partly due to the changing lifestyle.
RA can affect any age group including children and adults, however, people in the age group of 25-50 years are highly prone to the condition and women are more prone to get the condition when compared to men.
If we rewind to two decades ago, Rheumatology clinics used to be filled with patients in wheelchairs because of misdiagnosis. Now, with the advancement in medication, we can see stable patients walking into the Rheumatology OPD. The medicines provided are approved for the treatment of RA which is safe to be used even during the pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and breastfeeding stages.
It is very important to educate and counsel patients regarding the severity of the condition and the importance of long-term treatment. Apart from medication, we also recommend physiotherapy when necessary, regular exercise, maintaining weight and avoiding smoking and intake of alcohol. These measures also help in preventing other co-morbidities like cardiovascular disease associated with RA.
RA is treatable if diagnosed and addressed early. It is possible for RA patients to lead a pain-free, disability-free normal life with the right therapy and lifestyle modifications like adopting a healthy diet, avoiding foods with high sugar, salt and fat content, regular exercise and stopping smoking.
Currently, there are many treatment options available in the form of oral medication and injectable preferred treatment options. Patients with RA should be encouraged to consult a Rheumatologist regularly for treatment optimization and monitoring drug adverse effects monitoring that can enable them to live a better quality of life.
