For mobility and independence
MANY people believe that arthritis is a condition that only affects older people. Osteoarthritis is indeed a degenerative joint disease mostly seen in older people, but there are other kinds of arthritis, such as rheumatoid, psoriatic and gouty, that can affect people of any age.
“There are quite a number of conditions that fall under the umbrella term of arthritis, but the most common are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis,” says Dr Benjamin Cheah Tien Eang, consultant rheumatologist at Parkcity Medical Centre.
The scary thing about arthritis is that there is no known permanent cure. Nonetheless, it is a condition that is treatable with medication, physiotherapy and sometimes surgery.
When you are the enemy
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that predominantly affects women, at a ratio of around three women to one man.
Rheumatoid arthritis is known as the disease of the young, as Dr Cheah explains, “Most are diagnosed around age 40, which is the peak of many people’s lives. While it can also affect people in their 20s, it is rare in older people.”
He mentions that although there is no national registry to confirm the number of rheumatoid arthritis cases, it is
more common than people realise.
“There is a dire lack of awareness among people about rheumatoid arthritis because it is not a disease that causes death. However, if untreated, this condition can leave people completely immobile, with some being unable to even perform simple tasks such as holding a cup.”
Rheumatoid arthritis causes swelling and inflammation of the joints. A long-term effect of this condition is severe deformity of the affected limb.
“There is treatment that can relieve the pain, but medication that can significantly slow the progress of the disease is expensive and it is difficult to get government aid since it is not a life-threatening disease such as cancer.
“Nevertheless, the fact remains that people becoming immobile in the prime of their lives will burden the economy since they can no longer work and earn,” says Dr Cheah.
He also opines Malaysia needs more support groups for people affected with rheumatoid arthritis to cope with the repercussions of the disease, because there are few such communities at present.
The natural process of ageing
Another common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which is mostly diagnosed in older people.
“With age, our bones begin to disintegrate like every other organ in our body. Osteoarthritis is caused by erosion of the joints, bones and cartilage,” explains Dr Cheah.
He adds that there is no way to prevent this gradual deterioration of bone health, but keeping active can slow the progress.
“There are not enough activities for the elderly because they are mostly neglected in our society. However, keeping them active for longer can delay osteoarthritis and help them stay independent for longer.”
Many have the misconception that after being diagnosed with osteoarthritis, one must protect the joints by resting as much as possible and becoming inactive. Dr Cheah dismisses this, saying, “If you stop being active, your muscles waste away, putting more pressure on your joints.”
The treatment for osteoarthritis includes medication that relieve pain and slow bone degeneration. Surgery could be a patient’s only solution in extreme cases.
“There are many alternative medicines and supplements available in the market but there is no known cure that can reverse the damage completely. Any claim about completely curing osteoarthritis is baseless and people should be careful about believing it.
“Supplements such as glucosamine can sometimes provide relief to some people, but they must exercise caution and seek medical advice before taking anything,” says Dr Cheah.
He reiterates the need for increased awareness about arthritis so that people do not end up harming their health more by trying to cure an incurable disease.
For more information, call 03-5639 1212.