Beware that swelling and pain, it could be arthritis

Arthritis is pain and swelling of the joints. According to Dr Omondi Oyoo, a consultant physician and rheumatologist, arthritis is a term that covers over 100 conditions, all linked because they cause pain and swelling of the joints.

Arthritis affects movement due to the resultant inflammation and can attack different parts of the body. It also affects both adults and children, and is highly debilitating, especially in advanced cases.

Osteoarthritis is one of the common types of arthritis which occurs locally. “This is a degeneration of the cartilages in joints,” says Dr. Oyoo. Also referred to as degenerative arthritis, there is cartilage breakdown and finally loss in one or more joints in the body.
Stiffness and joint pain are experienced in areas such as the hips, knees and spine, and it is common in old people. Young people can also be affected following an infection or a trauma.

Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when one’s own immune system begins to attack the body’s tissues and it occurs more in women than in men.

This type of arthritis affects the membrane around the joints mostly around the hands, knees, elbows and knuckles, leading to serious deformity if left untreated for long.

“Gout is one of the most painful types of arthritis,” says Dr. Oyoo adding, “It is a result of a build up of uric acid, causing recurring joint inflammation.”

It affects one joint at the onset, seemingly disappearing for some time, later affecting various joints in the body such as those in the ankles, knees, wrists and fingers. Genetic predisposition, an unhealthy lifestyle, trauma and other illnesses are some of the causes of gout.

Another autoimmune disease that can lead to arthritis is lupus.
The stiffness in joints may also be accompanied by fluid collection and does not always cause permanent deformity.

Children under the age of 18 may develop juvenile arthritis but there is no known cause for its onset.

Symptoms may be mild or more aggressive and may include changes in growth of bones, swelling and stiffness or damage to the cartilage.

Low back pain is also ranked in this group. “It is the leading cause of premature retirement globally and absenteeism from work,” says Dr Oyoo. It is caused mainly by degeneration, prolapse of a disc or infection.

“Serious back pain also causes weakness in the lower limbs and this should be a warning sign to the individual,” adds Dr Oyoo.

Further to these, other common forms of arthritis are septic arthritis, a result of bacterial infections; traumatic arthritis especially common in athletes after injuries and reactive arthritis from HIV/Aids complications, the latter steadily on the rise.

The speed with which potential patients seek medical attention is dismal and Dr Oyoo has been spearheading the East Africa Rheumatology Initiative to combat this.

He says, “One of our aims is to develop patient information through various avenues because the faster you seek help, the earlier you can get treatment and therefore the more likely you can maintain a good quality of life.”