What is arthritis? Know thy enemy!
- Written by Dr. Harrison Weisinger MBBS, PhD.
Arthritis is not just for the elderly!
If you’re one of the 15 million Britons that suffer from arthritis, then you know just how disabling this condition really is. The symptoms of arthritis classically include joint pain and stiffness and decreased range of movement, but can actually be far more severe depending on the type of arthritis. Some sufferers experience non-joint-related manifestations that can include fever, weight loss, kidney problems, associated auto-immune disease and depression. Arthritis really is a major problem [1,2]. As a consequence, many turn to pharmaceuticals such as paracetamol and ibuprofen but arthritis is in no small part responsible for the opioid crisis being felt in many parts of the Western world.
In fact, the UK Global Burden of Disease Study identified musculo-skeletal conditions as the largest single cause of years lived with disability. Worse still, arthritis is becoming more common - because it is linked to ageing, as well as increasing levels of obesity and physical inactivity (we know it’s hard to stay physically fit, while performing well at work, keeping on top of household chores and issues, and being attentive to your spouse and kids, etc etc!).
But the numbers are ominous. By the year 2050, arthritis will affect 20% of all people in the UK. I’m not sure how well we’re going to cope with this, as the NHS already spends a whopping £5 Billion on health and social care services for people living with arthritis and about 32,000,000 days of work are lost each year to arthritis - costing individuals and the economy about £25 Billion!
I’ve had first hand experience. Actually... (hip)
At the age of 39, I could take it no longer. Young as I was by orthopaedic standards, I’d already suffered for 3 or 4 years with severe pain deep in my left hip. I had a noticeable limp (how many times do you think I was asked “are you limping?”). I took pain-killers daily. I did manage to buy myself a few months’ grace with an arthroscopic procedure to “clean the joint out” but in the end, it was no use. I’d come to the point where every single step felt as if I was being stabbed in the hip and I needed surgery. That’s right - suffering from severe arthritis, I underwent a total hip joint replacement at the age of 39 years. The surgeon predicted, based on my history and my x-rays, that I’d be fronting up to have the other hip done within a year or two. However, one piece of titanium-alloy hardware inside me was bad enough so I decided to do everything in my power to keep it from being two!
Here I am, almost 10 years down the track and I don’t have so much as a niggle in my good hip (and my bad hip is perfect, too!). I put this down to a few specific things (in addition to a good measure of luck) that I have done to reduce inflammation and increase strength and mobility. Read on, and I’ll give you my top tips for managing arthritis, naturally. But first, a little background on what arthritis actually is.
There are basically 3 different types of arthritis.
Osteoarthritis (OA).
By far, the most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis. OA is a degenerative condition in which the cartilage covering the part of the bone that forms a joint gradually wears away. Without this cartilage, there is little to protect the bone surface, nor lubricate the joint. OA can occur as a consequence of wear and tear that occurs with age, but it can be accelerated by injuries involving a joint, unusual weight-bearing (as in obesity), infection of a joint or just being born anatomically not-quite-right (that was my issue - together with lots of basketball!). While I said that OA is predominantly degenerative in nature, it does also have an inflammatory element - which both complicates and worsens the condition. Furthermore, one of the hallmarks of OA is the development of osteophytes, which are small, unwanted bony projections that jut into the joint, causing pain, inflammation and reduced mobility. OA necessarily affects large joints like hips and knees more so than small joints and because of this, it can drastically reduce mobility, and in turn, fitness and quality of life. OA is diagnosed by clinical symptoms, and confirmed with imaging tests such as x-rays or CT scans.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
In the UK, there are about half-a-million people living with RA. It is an inflammatory condition that typically affects people in their 40s and 50s. Women are three times more likely to have the condition. The hallmark of RA is pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints of the fingers, toes, hands and feet. Unlike OA, RA is typically symmetrical (on both sides of the body at once) and people with RA start their day being stiff but improving somewhat with movement. RA is diagnosed by clinical history, along with a range of blood tests that demonstrate inflammation and the presence of particular immune molecules. Medical treatment for RA is best commenced early since the inflammation associated with the condition can erode joints very quickly, leading to permanent disability.
Seronegative Spondyloathropathies.
The third type of arthritis is actually in a whole category / family. These conditions can affect people of any age and generally lead to pain and stiffness in the spine, tendons and peripheral joints (like elbows). Mercifully, they’re quite rare and like RA, sufferers start their days feeling like the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz but improve as they get moving. As for the other conditions, seronegative spondyloarthropathies are diagnosed by clinical history and blood tests (which are often unrevealing!).
As you’ll appreciate, while the cause and clinical manifestations of the three types of arthritis differ quite a lot, they all feature varying degrees of unwanted inflammation. This is why so many people turn to pharmaceutical anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen (nurofen) or stronger. The problem with this approach is that long-term use of these drugs is potentially very harmful to the kidneys, stomach and even normal blood clotting.
Now that we’ve identified all of the different variations of arthritis, let's have a look next week at what can be done to help prevent, relieve and manage your challenges.
Until then, stay healthy, stay happy and be active! -Dr. Harry
Dr. Harrison Weisinger (MBBS, Ph.D.)
Dr. Harry is the Medical Director for Truth Origins, and a practicing medical doctor in Australia. Throughout his working career as medical doctor, university professor, and scientist, Dr. Harry has committed his life to improving human health. Each month he reads the various journals and studies being conducted across the world’s leading universities and research hospitals to bring you the latest research surrounding the truth about plant-based medicine.
Stay Tuned Next Week For Part 2- Active Ways to Manage Your Challenges
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References
[1] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/arthritis/
[2] https://www.housinglin.org.uk/_assets/Resources/Housing/OtherOrganisation/adapted-homes-empowers-lives-report.pdf
[3] https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/jmf.2016.3705
[4] https://www-sciencedirect-com.ezproxy.utas.edu.au/science/article/pii/S1567576919307921
[5] https://ard.bmj.com/content/77/Suppl_2/1357.2.abstract
[6] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28346333
[7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28303758