GEORGE TOWN, October 26 – For people with arthritis, even the simplest everyday action such as standing up or bending over can cause immense pain. While it is widely known that arthritis presents itself more often in older people, believe it or not, people in their 20s can also develop arthritis, with their symptoms only worsening with age. Arthritis remains a leading cause of pain and disability worldwide, encompassing more than a hundred forms of arthritis and related diseases.
According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of adults who have arthritis report that it limits their leisure activities and work, and 25% of them say it causes severe pain. Following the observance of World Arthritis Day, Sunway Medical Centre would like to continue helping you relieve your arthritic pain through different approaches – medically and at home. There are two main types of arthritis, degenerative and inflammatory, both of which will cause immense pain if left untreated.
Degenerative arthritis is caused by wear and tear in a joint. It is usually non-symmetrical because it only affects a particular joint on one side of the body. Dr Cheah Chee Ken, Consultant Rheumatologist from Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City, explains, “When a person overuses their joints, such as their knees or shoulders, they tend to develop degenerative arthritis which will decrease their range of motion. Symptoms of degenerative arthritis are more concentrated on the joints with symptoms such as pain, joint stiffness, swelling, and redness.
The pain symptom from degenerative arthritis is mechanical in nature, meaning it is worse on movement and relieved with rest. All of which, pain during activities will cause difficulty in performing everyday tasks. Inflammatory arthritis describes a group of joint diseases with inflammatory joint pain as the main feature. Features of inflammatory joint pain include pain at rest, marked early morning joint stiffness, joint swelling with occasional skin redness.
It can be caused by different conditions, ranging from acute injury, infections, or caused overactive immune system that attacks the joints (also known as autoimmune diseases). In particular cases of immune mediated arthritis, the immune response does not know how to differentiate own self from foreign substances, leading to ongoing inflammation and subsequently permanent joint damages..
Unlike Degenerative arthritis, Inflammatory Arthritis may affect multiple joints simultaneously and symmetrically. Systemic symptoms such as fatigue is common. Treatment principle for arthritis involves: 1. Identifying the correct diagnosis, 2. Arresting inflammation (as prolonged inflammations lead to structural damages), 3. Controlling pain and symptoms, and 4. Preserving joint functions and maintaining quality of life, for appropriate management to be tailored accordingly.
Certain conditions require simple steps such as exercises and physiotherapies, while in some cases surgery may be required. As for various types of inflammatory arthritis, treatment mainly consists of medical therapy. Therefore, it is advised to seek consultation from a healthcare provider. The commonest form of arthritis is still degenerative arthritis (Osteoarthritis).
