From thecourier.co.uk
Stiff, painful joints can be a waking nightmare for millions living with arthritis. And many think of it as part of ageing. But that’s a myth – and rheumatoid arthritis in particular is very misunderstood.
There are many possible causes of joint pain from injury or inherited weakness to arthritis or autoimmune conditions.
Osteoarthritis is usually associated with wear and tear, commonly affecting large weight-bearing joints such as the hip, knee and spine, and smaller joints of the fingers.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) however, is an autoimmune disease, less common but still affecting more than 400,000 people in the UK.
The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) is keen to highlight the many myths surrounding the disease, which, contrary to popular belief, doesn’t just affect the joints.
Stuart Munday a director at NRAS says: “Rheumatoid arthritis is a hidden condition that is quite misunderstood. The RA community is only too aware of the misconceptions people have about inflammatory arthritis.”
Joint pain is the most common symptom with RA but it can also affect organs – including the eyes – as well as the nerves, blood vessels and muscles and cause widespread problems such as fatigue and flu-like symptoms.
Other issues can also develop due to RA – like vasculitis, which occurs when blood vessels become swollen.
Here, we debunk 5 myths about rheumatoid arthritis.
1. It is caused by wear and tear on the joints
Osteoarthritis is caused by joint wear and tear and can be associated with ageing. But rheumatoid arthritis is different and occurs when the immune system attacks the lining of the joints, causing pain, swelling and stiffness.
“RA is an autoimmune condition that’s a result of the immune system responding inappropriately,” explains Stuart.
“The immune system doesn’t know when to stop doing its job so mistakenly attacks the synovial membrane around the joints.
“This causes pain and swelling and can also affect other organs.”
2. Only older people get rheumatoid arthritis
Although it’s got a different name, children can get a form of inflammatory arthritis similar to rheumatoid arthritis, known as juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).
During adulthood, RA can potentially affect people of all ages.
Stuart continues: “The most common age for people to develop RA is between 40 and 60, or a bit older for men. People can get it at any age and there are other forms of inflammatory arthritis, but RA is the most common.”
3. It is more common in men
This isn’t true. In fact, it’s believed RA impacts roughly two to three times more women than men.
4. Only humans get rheumatoid arthritis
Cats and dogs can get a form of arthritis called immune-mediated polyarthritis (IMPA). Stuart says: “Studies have shown that some animals can be affected by immune-mediated polyarthritis (IMPA). RA is a form of IMPA in people.”
5. Smoking doesn’t affect it
“Smoking can potentially double the chances of developing RA,” stresses Stuart.
“Once diagnosed with RA, if someone continues to smoke, it can reduce the effectiveness of medication by up to 50%, leading to increased joint pain and inflammation.”
When to speak to a doctor
Most people will experience some kind of joint pain at some point in life as musculoskeletal wear and tear is one of the most common health niggles.
But it’s important to get medical help right away if the pain is so intense that’s it’s difficult to go about your normal life, or you feel like you can no longer use the joint.
Book in with a GP if your joint symptoms last three days or more, or you’re experiencing multiple painful episodes in a month.
You might need to see a specialist, and your doctor may refer you to a rheumatologist, who specialises in diseases that involve bones, muscles and joints.
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