On October 12, many countries celebrate World Arthritis Day, which has been held annually at the initiative of the World Health Organization since 1996 (in Russia – since 2006).
The main goals of this Day – are to attract the attention of the general public around the world to the problem of rheumatological diseases, increase awareness of arthritis in all its forms, unite the efforts of doctors, patients and the public in addressing issues of prevention, early diagnosis, medical and social rehabilitation of patients with this disease.
Arthritis – is a serious inflammatory disease of a joint or several joints, which, if left untreated, leads not only to pain and limited movement, but also to disability and loss of ability to work. The causes of the disease vary – often arthritis occurs with repeated minor injuries, open or closed joint injuries, frequent physical strain or genetic predisposition. In addition, the development of arthritis is provoked by viral and bacterial infections, hypothermia, physical and mental overload and even excessive smoking. In some cases, the factors of occurrence and mechanisms of disease development are not fully understood.
The inflammatory process causes disruption of the structure and function of the joints, which leads to pain, stiffness, and swelling, which ultimately entails irreversible destruction and disability of the patient.
In general, arthritis is a large group of joint diseases, which includes more than 100 diagnoses, the most common of which are – arthrosis and rheumatoid arthritis. For example, in Russia alone, according to the Ministry of Health, there are more than 10 million patients with arthrosis and about 300 thousand Russians suffer from rheumatoid arthritis (about a third of them have severe disabilities).
The most dangerous thing is that anyone – from a baby to an old person can be at risk of developing this disease. But the most common severe rheumatic joint diseases associated with the rapid development of arthritis affect able-bodied inhabitants of planet – aged 30 to 50 years. By the way, women suffer from this disease 5 times more often than men. Moreover, joint diseases cannot always be recognized immediately because of their «hiddenness» and «masking», and subsequently they need long-term and constant medical observation and treatment, and – patients need rehabilitation and social adaptation.
Therefore, underestimating the importance of the problem associated with joint and spinal pain leads to late patient visits to doctors and, as a result, reduces patients' chances of recovery or achieving remission and increases the risk of developing disability.
Today, joint diseases have become literally a global problem. According to WHO, every tenth person on the planet suffers from arthritis. And over the past decade, the upward trend in the number of diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue, including arthritis, has not decreased, and rheumatological diseases occupy high positions in the ranking of causes of morbidity and disability.
Therefore, it is important to remember that only early diagnosis and timely treatment can prevent severe consequences for a patient with arthritis. According to doctors, with early diagnosis and individual treatment, arthritis can be cured. Therefore, diagnosing arthritis – is a very important step towards recovery, and modern therapy methods can significantly improve the quality of life of patients.
The best remedy for arthritis – is prevention (Photo: SvetlanaFedoseyeva, licensed from Shutterstock.com)
Although the reasons for the development of arthritis are varied, doctors are unanimous in the opinion that the best remedy for arthritis – is prevention. You can reduce the risk of developing these diseases by following a few simple tips: being in the fresh air more often, giving up bad habits, leading a healthy lifestyle, not neglecting physical exercise and proper nutrition. And all this – regardless of a person’s age and occupation. After all, it has long been no secret that the body’s ability to resist diseases depends on its general physical condition and mental balance.
World Arthritis Day, due to the breadth and seriousness of this problem, is becoming more and more relevant every year. As part of this day, special importance is paid to disease prevention and measures that help best coordinate actions in tandem: patient – doctor. Currently, more than 35 countries will host all kinds of events on October 12, the goal of which is to unite the efforts of patients and medical workers for fruitful cooperation aimed at combating arthritis.
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