Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease, needs to be identified as soon as possible and early onset of treatment can help have a good quality life, said a doctor.
Rheumatoid arthritis, which causes swelling of joints and is accompanied by immense pain, can also lead to osteoporosis, a condition that makes the bone fragile and more prone to fractures, said Parthajit Das, a consultant rheumatologist at the Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals.
Osteoporosis can also happen in people without rheumatoid arthritis but someone with both the diseases will have a reduced quality of life.
Das said if a person felt stiffness in joints, along with persistent swelling and pain, they may consult a rheumatologist to check if they were suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.
“This cannot be cured but can be kept under control. This will help the person to live a healthy, normal life,” said Das, joint director, the Asian Institute of Immunology and Rheumatology that is being set up in New Town.
“It is important to create awareness about the disease. People often come to a rheumatologist when some damage has happened. Late onset of treatment can reduce the quality of life and impact the person’s mobility and ability to work normally,” said Das.
The website of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases of the US government says rheumatoid arthritis (RA) “starts with mild or moderate inflammation affecting just a few joints. However, if it is not treated or the treatments are not working, RA can worsen and affect more joints. This can lead to more damage and disability.”
Early treatment can also delay or deter the progression to osteoporosis.
“If one with RA also develops osteoporosis, it can seriously impact quality of life,” said Das.