Arthritis often takes a backseat when we talk about serious and chronic illnesses. After all, it is an old-people illness, affecting those already weak. But that's not strictly true. For starters, arthritis can affect people of any age and can be debilitating for the affected. It comes with several other problems that not many people talk about, and these symptoms can be highly unexpected — making it difficult for the ailed to predict what the next day might look like.
It is this lack of knowledge and failure to recognise the severity of arthritis that makes World Arthritis Day so important. WAD is observed on 12th October every year to raise global awareness about arthritis and other rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases.
In this blog, we aim to enlighten you about arthritis, the World Arthritis Day 2024 theme, who it affects, how it affects people's daily lives, its prevention steps and treatment options.
Table Of Contents
- What Is Arthritis?
- What Is The Message Of World Arthritis Day? 2024 World Arthritis Day Theme
- How Does Arthritis Affect Your Daily Life?
- What Are The Causes Of Arthritis?
- What Are The Preventions For Arthritis? 6 Ways To Avoid Arthritis
- How To Treat Arthritis? 6 Ways to Manage Arthritis
- Can I Live A Long Life With Arthritis?
- The Final Say
- FAQs
- References
What Is Arthritis?
The word arthritis is derived from two Greek words, arthro- and -itis, meaning "joint" and "inflammation", respectively. The meaning of the words stays true to its definition: a condition that involves inflammation or degeneration of one or more joints.
It is a serious condition that affects over 10 million people every year in India itself. There is no cure for arthritis, but with the right treatment, its symptoms can be managed.
Arthritis is an umbrella term for a group of over 100 conditions that cause inflammation, pain, soreness, stiffness, and reduced mobility in the joints. The most common types of arthritis are:
- Osteoarthritis (OA) - A degenerative joint disease that occurs due to the wearing down of the cartilage that protects and cushions the ends of the bones.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) - Is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the lining of the membranes surrounding the joints.
The symptoms of different kinds of arthritis vary, but they often include joint inflammation, pain, and decreased range of motion.
Also Read: Try These 6 Targeted Knee Exercises For Athletes And Arthritis Pain Relief Tips!
What Is The Message Of World Arthritis Day? 2024 World Arthritis Day Theme
The theme for this year's World Arthritis Day is "Informed Choices, Better Outcomes," which emphasises the crucial role of being informed and having awareness about the condition so one can make better decisions regarding its prevention, treatment, and management.
This year's World Arthritis Day theme inspires an active approach towards arthritis that aims to build a sense of agency, involvement and support within and outside the arthritis community. The theme aligns with the goal of this blog, which is to create awareness and spread information about arthritis that can lead to healthier and happier lives.
How Does Arthritis Affect Your Daily Life?
Arthritis is a serious condition that can affect a person's daily life, and there's no cure for this disease. Let's look at the common symptoms of the arthritis diseases and be more informed this World Arthritis Day:
1. Pain, Discomfort and Stiffness
Arthritis can cause chronic pain and joint stiffness, like sacroiliac joint pain (SI joint pain). These symptoms can be uncomfortable and make everyday activities like bending to pick up a newspaper and walking a distance difficult. The pain and stiffness may be more prominent in the morning.
2. Reduced Mobility
Joint stiffness and swelling often limit movement, making regular tasks such as walking, standing for a long time to cook, sitting down, and climbing stairs difficult. To improve mobility, you can do yoga poses for flexibility enhancement.
3. Fatigue
The persistent pain and inflammation that comes with arthritis can lead to chronic fatigue. It can affect a person's energy levels and motivation to engage in daily activities; it can lead to difficulty at work, household chores and socialising with others.
4. Emotional Well-Being
With arthritis comes several living challenges that can cause feelings of frustration, anger, anxiety or depression.
5. Sleep Disturbances
Pain and discomfort may cause disturbances in sleep and sleep quality, leading to further fatigue and decreased overall well-being.
6. Lifestyle Adjustments
Along with dietary adjustments and adding exercise regimens to improve the symptoms of arthritis, some affected individuals might need to use assistive devices.
7. Financial Impact
The cost of constant medications, treatments, and possible modifications to living spaces can add financial stress.
Also Read: Try These 15 Workouts For Knee Pain And 7 Ways Exercises Give Relief!
What Are The Causes Of Arthritis?
Though commonly linked to old age, arthritis can have other causes and may even affect younger people. Let us learn what causes this chronic illness.
1. Age
People over 50 are more likely to be affected by arthritis, and nearly 30% of India's population over 50 has arthritis. Inversely, less than 5% of India's population below 30 has arthritis.
2. Family History And Genetics
Family history may play a role in several chronic illnesses, including arthritis. If someone in a person's family has arthritis, they have a nearly 20-50% chance of developing the disease as well. Some types of arthritis can also be linked to specific genes.
3. Joint Injury Or Overuse
Previous joint injuries, even years-old injuries, can cause osteoarthritis. It can also be brought on by constant overuse through sports or occupation, which leads to wear and tear. When these tears are not treated properly, they can lead to osteoarthritis.
Also Read: Try These 6 Targeted Knee Exercises For Athletes And Arthritis Pain Relief Tips!
4. Obesity
Weight-bearing joints, such as the knees, hips, and spine, support a person's weight. When a person is overweight or obese, their weight can put constant excess stress upon these joints, which may lead to arthritis. To manage your weight, consider ToneOp Fit’s Diet & Fitness Weight Loss Plan.
5. Autoimmune Reaction
Certain arthritis conditions are autoimmune diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis, in which the immune system attacks the joint tissues, causing inflammation, pain, and swelling.
6. Infections
Some forms of arthritis can be triggered by viral infections, bacterial infections, and Lyme disease.
7. Metabolic Factors
People with metabolic diseases like diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and hypertension are at a greater risk of developing arthritis.
What Are The Preventions For Arthritis? 6 Ways To Avoid Arthritis
The best way to be safe from any chronic illness is to prevent it before it can take root. So, let us learn how you can avoid the development of arthritis. However, it is important to remember that in some cases, arthritis cannot be prevented.
1. Eat A Balanced Diet
Eating a healthy and balanced diet is good for overall health and preventing several other diseases as well. For arthritis, choose anti-inflammatory foods such as:
- Fish and nuts that provide omega-3 fatty acids
- Citrus fruits for vitamin C
- Seeds and leafy greens for vitamin E
- Prebiotic foods like legumes and sweet potato
- Probiotic foods like yoghurt and tempeh
- Other anti-inflammatory foods like turmeric, green tea and olive oil.
2. Maintain A Healthy Weight
Osteoarthritis can be caused by being overweight or obese, which puts excess pressure on the weight-bearing joints (knees, hips, ankles, feet, pelvis, lower back, and spine). Maintaining a healthy body weight is essential to avoid this.
If you're bordering on becoming overweight or obese, you should consider trying ToneOp’s Balanced Diet Weight Loss Plan, where a personal diet coach will guide you through your weight loss journey. You will also get daily customised diet plans that could be targeted towards preventing or managing arthritis, regular dietician check-ins, 24/7 expert support, and a library of 60,000+ delicious recipes.
3. Stay Active
In today's sedentary lifestyle, where most of our work and home life involves sitting in a chair, it is important to make active decisions to move your body in order to stay active. Physical activities help strengthen muscles around the joints, improve flexibility, and maintain joint function.
If you prefer socialising, you can join group activities such as squash, pilates, or spin classes. Otherwise, you can join a gym, do daily jogs, or start swimming. However, if your joints are weak or susceptible to damage, low-impact exercises like brisk walking, swimming, or yoga might benefit your health without putting pressure on your joints.
4. Protect Your Joints
If you're physically active, especially if you play a sport or do strength training, it is crucial for you to be mindful of your joints and protect them from possible injury.
- Take time to do warm-up exercises before any kind of physical activity, especially in cold weather, as this can stiffen the joints.
- Wear proper footwear to support your joints.
- Use proper techniques while lifting or playing a sport.
- Do not overexert yourself, and give your body time to rest.
5. Manage or prevent other chronic conditions
Chronic conditions like diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, gout, inflammatory bowel disease, lupus and thyroid disorders can cause different kinds of arthritis. If you have these diseases, it is best to manage them to prevent arthritis.
6. Consider Supplements
You can consider taking nutritional supplements like glucosamine, chondroitin and omega-3 fatty acids to support joint health. These supplements have shown positive results in relieving pain, stiffness, and other arthritis symptoms. Additionally, ToneOp Care’s Bone 360 tablets are specially formulated bone and muscle supplements containing calcium, zinc, vitamin D3 and magnesium to safeguard bone health and prevent osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.
How To Treat Arthritis? 6 Ways to Manage Arthritis
Arthritis cannot be cured, but we can still slow it down, manage the condition, and treat its symptoms for some degree of relief.
1. Medication
- Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) like diclofenac and ibuprofen can relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
- Biologic drugs like etanercept that treat autoimmune diseases can be used for autoimmune arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis.
- Corticosteroids like prednisone decrease inflammation and suppress the immune system.
2. Hot and cold compress
- A hot compress around the affected joint can help relieve pain.
- A cold compress around the affected joint can reduce swelling and pain.
3. Physical Or Occupational Therapy
- People who have arthritis can benefit from physical therapy tailored specifically towards their problem.
- Occupational therapy teaches individuals with arthritis how to use their joints without putting undue strain on them and to manage their everyday lives.
4. Lifestyle Modifications
- Incorporating a healthy diet that has anti-inflammatory properties may help with arthritis symptoms.
- Losing excess weight would help overweight people by removing extra pressure from their joints.
5. Acupuncture
The old Chinese therapy method may help relieve pain and inflammation in some people.
6. Surgery
In some cases, arthritis may be severe enough to call for surgical procedures like arthroscopy, joint fusion, or joint replacement to restore function and relieve pain.
Can I Live A Long Life With Arthritis?
Yes, a person with arthritis can live a long and fulfilled life. However, it will not be without challenges. It may be the hardest initially when you need to get used to the condition.
Still, with the proper medical treatment, physical and occupational therapies, lifestyle adjustment and emotional support, you can overcome the difficulties of arthritis. Pay attention to your symptoms and try to manage them by maintaining a healthy diet, weight management, and more.
Also Read: Exercises For Tailbone Pain! Causes & Management | ToneOpFit
The Final Say
World Arthritis Day is a crucial opportunity to raise awareness about arthritis and its impact on millions. Knowing about the condition and its effects can help people to take appropriate actions that can contribute to improved health outcomes. Engaging in community activities, supporting research, and sharing knowledge can empower those affected and foster a more supportive environment. Together, we can transform perceptions and improve the lives of individuals living with arthritis.
FAQs
1. Why celebrate World Arthritis Day?
We celebrate World Arthritis Day to raise awareness about arthritis and related conditions, promote advocacy, foster support, and highlight their impact on individuals and society.
2. What is the World Arthritis Day logo?
The logo for World Arthritis Day (WAD) is a blue and purple awareness ribbon on a white background.
3. Is arthritis dangerous?
Though not life-threatening, arthritis can pose certain dangers, such as Joint Damage, Mobility Issues, and Systemic Effects.
4. What are some World Arthritis Day activities that I can do?
To celebrate World Arthritis Day, people do awareness campaigns, educational events, community events, social meetings, fundraising activities, advocacy engagement, and resource distribution.
References
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK384458/#:~:text=Rheumatoid%20arthritis%20causes%20joint%20pain,arthritis%20isn't%20always%20easy
- https://www.ndtv.com/health/world-arthritis-day-2024-theme-history-significance-tips-to-better-manage-arthritis-during-fall-6750369
- https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/arthritis#:~:text=Arthritis%20and%20other%20rheumatic%20diseases%20are%20more%20common%20in%20women,affect%20people%20of%20all%20ages
- https://northcitydiagnostic.com/understanding-of-arthritis-in-india-diagnosis-and-importance-of-early-detection/#:~:text=In%20India%2C%20Osteoarthritis%20is%20the,of%2022%25%20to%2039%25
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