Busting the myths about arthritis
IT’S tempting to dismiss arthritis as just aching joints, and something people must learn to live with as they get older. But the 10 million people in the UK who suffer from arthritis know that – far from being just a standard part of ageing – the condition can cause excruciating pain and blight the lives of both young and old.
Ahead of World Arthritis Day on October 12, experts are stressing the importance of busting misconceptions about the condition and the impact it can have – to improve understanding for those affected, and highlight the role of early diagnosis and treatment.
“It’s the biggest cause of disability in this country,” says Ellen Miller, acting chief executive of the charity Versus Arthritis (versusarthritis. org). “Yet it’s shrugged off by society because it’s invisible and associated with ageing, thanks to persistent myths about who it affects and what it can do to you.
“The truth is, an arthritis diagnosis can come at any age and can knock your life for six.”
After osteoarthritis – or ‘wear and tear’ arthritis, which affects around 8.75m people in the UK – the next most common type is rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune condition affecting more than 430,000 people in the country.
Clare Jacklin, CEO of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS; nras.org.uk), points out that the of pain and chronic fatigue caused by RA is often invisible, and as a result, people with RA have to battle misconceptions and stigma, as well as the disease itself.
In a bid to tackle this, the NRAS has teamed up with pharmaceutical company Galapagos UK (glpg.com/uk) to create the We R.A. Priority campaign (werapriority. co.uk).
“Knowing what RA is, the symptoms to look for, and that it can affect anyone of any age can make a significant difference in getting an early diagnosis,” explains Clare.
“There’s a window of opportunity that, if missed, can cause delays in getting early treatment, which can lead to long-term negative impact.
“Raising awareness of RA is vital for driving earlier diagnosis and helping prevent the often irreversible damage it can cause to a person’s body, mental health, family and career,” she adds.
Here, experts debunk common arthritis myths...
Arthritis can be devastatseven
Ellen says you can get arthritis at any age, even childhood, when it’s called juvenile idiopathic arthritis ( JIA). In fact, two-thirds of people with arthritis are under 65 and nearly three million are under 35, she says. diet will but can’t ing, with eight in 10 people experiencing pain every day, explains Ellen: “The pain and fatigue steal your independence, ability to work, travel or socialise and make you feel like a burden. Many people don’t even admit to their friends and family what it’s like.”
Jane Barry, medical director of rheumatology at Galapagos, says: “One of the symptoms of RA can be joint pain, yes, but the condition can have an effect on other aspects of health too. In fact, a Galapagos survey last year found one in six people with RA have also been diagnosed with a major depressive disorder.”
Due to pandemic disruption in the NHS, Ellen says the situation for people with arthritis is at its worst ever, with thousands waiting for trauma and orthopaedic treatment (the vast majority needing hip or knee
We all have the odd aches and pains, but if they persist, we should get checked by replacements). “Thousands of people on the waiting list have been left without support and are struggling physically, emotionally and financially,” she stresses, pointing out that Versus Arthritis is also running the ‘Impossible to Ignore’ campaign (versusarthritis.org/ campaign-with-us/impossible-toignore), urging people to contact their MPS to press for urgent support for those waiting for joint replacement surgery.
“Their lives are on hold, many having to give up work and living in excruciating pain without communication about when they can expect to have surgery,” she adds.
While it’s common to have occasional aches and pains in the joints and muscles, Ellen says it’s important to see a doctor if you have swelling or stiffness that you can’t explain and which doesn’t go away in a few days, if it becomes painful to touch your joints, or if you can’t do everyday tasks because of the pain.
“The earlier you get a diagnosis and find a treatment that works for you, the better the outcome will be,” she stresses.
Effective arthritis treatments make a huge difference and could prevent irreversible joint damage, says Ellen.
There are many treatment options – from medication, physical and complementary therapies and joint replacement surgery, to talking therapies and pain management clinics – to help people live well with the condition.
No diet or supplement will cure arthritis, says Ellen, but a balanced diet, exercise, and not smoking or drinking too much alcohol can all have a huge impact.
“Some people find their symptoms are affected by their diet, weight and physical activity levels, but what works for one person may not work for another,” she explains.
Changing your diet probably won’t have as great an impact on arthritis as medical treatments, but it can be very helpful.
Being overweight can increase strain on joints, and increase the risk of developing certain conditions.
Eating a balanced diet packed with vitamins and minerals could help reduce the side effects of some arthritis drugs too, and protect from conditions affecting the heart and blood, which can be a complication of some forms of arthritis.
But you should always speak to a healthcare professional before making any major changes to your diet and lifestyle.
A 2020 Galapagos survey of people living with RA found 99% felt other people either had a poor understanding of their condition, or confused it for other forms of arthritis. Jane says: “RA is actually an autoimmune condition, meaning the body’s own immune system targets affected joints, which leads to pain and swelling and other symptoms, including fatigue, dry eyes, chest pain and a loss of appetite.”
loss goal by cooking a healthy meal with them
There’s a lot to be said about being silly, or having a good laugh just for the joy of it. Matt Lucas has made a career of it, through TV comedy shows, books and bringing playfulness to presenting roles on Great British Bake Off, for example.
The Little Britain star’s latest book is another in his Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Silly series – this time Very Silly Games, complete with laugh-out-loud illustrations by Sarah Horne, games for big and little kids alike and all sorts of scenarios, woven with anecdotes from Matt.
“The publisher approached me last year about doing a joke book, and I had the idea of doing My Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Silly Book Of Jokes, which – aside from being almost too silly – contained lots of silly added comments from me throughout,” explains Matt, 47.
“Now we are building a series, with the third book dedicated to Games. I like the interactive nature of the books – you don’t just read them, you get involved.”
He says the games are a great way of bringing people together and “generally don’t involve gawping at a phone or computer screen – something even kids do for too long each day”.
And as for a favourite silly game from his childhood?
“I always loved ‘The Chocolate Game’ – which involved everyone sitting in a circle and taking turns to throw dice,” he says. “Whoever got matching numbers would run into the middle of the circle, put on a jacket, hat, gloves, scarf, and then to eat as much chocolate as they could using a knife and fork, before someone else threw a double and replaced them.” ■ My Very Very Very Very Very Very Very Silly Book of Games by Matt Lucas, left, illustrated by Sarah Horne, Farshore, £6.99
numbers when you’re in charge of children and drinking, as it can strike the wrong note if you’re the only one getting stuck into the Fosters.
And then I located the buffet, found a comfortable seat and set up camp.
The twins were engaged in the garden with a variety of children, while somebody older and presumably a grandparent kept an eye on them.
The day drifted by in a haze of light chat, alcohol and beige buffet food until I realised it was 7pm.
The selection of sandwiches was finally looking depleted, I was now drinking Prosecco and talking at length to anyone who’d listen. Victoria pointed out it’s time to go and I begrudgingly accepted the fun was over since most others had already left.
We’d managed to enjoy a day out in which we’d all had fun, eaten very well and all for free. The day had been a triumph and all I can do now is hope there are yet more to come.
My only concern is if they read this and know I’m going to stay all day, drink too much and demolish the buffet then the chances of further invitations are slim to none.