In my practice, daily, I come across at least 20 out of 100 patients who are diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis: Dr Lalit Duggal

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that damages the joints of the body. It causes inflammation in the joint lining tissue. Besides, it affects other organs and systems of the body, including the lungs, heart, and kidneys. If the inflammation is not treated and detected, it can permanently damage the affected joints and other tissues. The inflammation in the joints causes pain, stiffness, swelling, and loss of function. However, an individual should realize the common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis when there is interference in the ability to do normal activities on a day to day basis.

RA is more common in women and it can affect any age groups although more common in the third and fourth decades of life. Children and adolescents are also affected by this condition (Juvenile arthritis) and late-onset RA is not uncommon perhaps due to increasing life span and environmental influences

In my practice, daily, I come across at least 20 out of 100 patients who are diagnosed with RA. The incidence of the disease is acute amongst few and the rest come with deformities. Most often the disease gets misdiagnosed due to common symptoms like pain, swelling, and discomfort. But, in cases of significant stiffness in the morning on a repetitive basis and inability faced while performing household work satisfactorily, it is important to seek consultation from a doctor.

The leading causes of RA are due to the increase in population & longevity. Environment factors like infections, active & passive smoking, pollution, genetically driven factors, stress at home and work are also the major causes of the incidence of the disease. However, due to increase in awareness we see individuals taking the initial symptoms of the disease seriously and consulting a specialist. This helps in early diagnosis, which can be treated and the disease can be controlled.

Traditionally disease-modifying therapies (DMARDs) are used to treat RA, but still, a significant proportion of patients (30-40%) may not respond to this standard therapy and may require long term steroids and pain killers with limited improvement and treatment-related complications. Newer therapies targeting specific molecules (biologics) have been introduced with excellent response and very high chances of remission. Using these drugs appropriately help us to treat arthritis better than ever before with much better outcomes and also mitigate unwanted side effects related to steroids and pain killers.

Auto-immune diseases like RA are not curable but can be controlled. Patients struck with auto-immune diseases undergo a shift in the lifestyle due to which they suffer from depression, anxiety, and insomnia. It impacts the quality of work decreasing work efficiency which also involves vocational and physical activities. Individuals under the age of 15 also get affected by the disease. It affects the educational performance directly & indirectly which results in psychosomatic effects of drugs & stress. However, when the disease is treated during the initial incidence it helps the patients to bounce back to normalcy.

RA is a treatable disease and can be controlled if the diagnosis is done at the initial stages post which the patient should follow the treatment diligently. But one needs to be prompt in following up with the treatment, performing exercises and consumption of a healthy diet.