Help at hand

British actress Sadie Frost suffers from it, as do many Kiwi women. We look at the symptoms and possible causes of rheumatoid arthritis and how you can reduce your risk.

More New Zealanders than ever before are living with arthritis. Around 650,000 Kiwis – 17 per cent of the population – are affected by the condition, which can lead to chronic pain and is a major cause of disability in older people.

One of the most common forms is rheumatoid arthritis, which women are three times more likely to suffer from than men.

British actress Sadie Frost, 52, highlighted the significant impact of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) last month, revealing she suffers from the condition. The Dracula actress and ex-wife of actor Jude

Law wrote about her diagnosis in an Instagram post during a trip to the Himalayas. “I have recently been diagnosed with early RA, which can be quite painful. It’s silly because I blame myself but it’s mainly a genetic disorder and just happens when things degenerate then inflame.”

The disease – which occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the cells that line the joints – affects as much as one per cent of the population worldwide.

New research has now found that going through menopause can worsen the impact of rheumatoid arthritis on women, making daily tasks such as getting dressed or walking more of a challenge. Women who had arthritis but had not yet gone through menopause saw a much slower decline in their condition, according to the recent study by the University of Nebraska Medical Centre.

The trigger in menopausal women is thought to be a lack of oestrogen. Oestrogen is believed to play an important role in maintaining the joints, which in arthritis sufferers can become painful, swollen and stiff. Because more women suffer from rheumatoid arthritis than men, it has led some experts to think female hormones may contribute to the disease.

While there is no known cure, there is help for people living with it, in the form of practical aids and support services, as well as pain relief.

Talk to your GP about seeking help from other health professionals, including physiotherapists, dietitians, occupational therapists and pain specialists. In some cases, seeing a counsellor or a therapist can also help to deal with the chronic pain and physical restrictions of living with arthritis.

“It’s silly because I blame myself but it’s mainly a genetic disorder and just happens when things degenerate then inflame.”