Arthritis : Facts & Myths Part 4

Arthritis : Facts & Myths Part 4


What is ESR and CRP?
ESR and CRP are blood tests to monitor inflammation in the body. They do not correspond to the extent and severity of arthritis. ESR and CRP  may be normal despite active arthritis and vice-versa. Many other conditions influence ESR, therefore let your doctor interpret your test results.

Does positive rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) in blood means having arthritis?
No, approximately 5% normal healthy people can have positive RF and ANA without having actual disease. Test results are always interpreted in the context of symptoms of the patient.

What is the place of steroids in the management of arthritis?
All arthritis patients do not require steroids. Only few types of arthritis require steroids. They should be used judicious under medical supervision.

Can arthritis be prevented?
Not all types of arthritis test can be prevented but depending on the forms of arthritis, there are steps that can be taken to reduce your risk of arthritis. Maintaining an appropriate body weight has been shown to decrease the risk of developing osteoarthritis and gout. protecting you joints from injuries or over use can reduce the risk of osteoarthritis.
Balance nutritious diet, adequate physical activities/ exercise, no smoking/ alcohol, hygienic living conditions and being free from stress promotes health and may reduce occurrence of arthritis.

Can overweight lead to arthritis?
Your knees have to support your body weight. Being overweight or obese can take a real toll on them. 1 kilo increase in body weight increase the load on knees and hip by 3 and 6 times respectively. Obese people are four times more likely to develop knee osteoarthritis.

Do exercise help in reducing the pain and aches?
Exercise not only take the stress of excess weight off your joints. It also strengthens the muscles around the joints, which protects them from wear and tear.

Can trauma to the joint cause osteoarthritis ?
An injured join is nearly 7 times more likely to develop arthritis then non-injured joint. Fracture, this location and even ligament strain can significantly increased the risk of osteoarthritis.

How to protect our joints?
By using right techniques while sitting, working, walking and lifting can help protect joints from everyday strains. For example, lift with your knees and hip not your back when picking up objects. If you have to sit for long periods of time at work, make sure that your back , legs and arms are well supported.

Can psychological stress increase pain and fatigue?
Yes, the psychological stress can increase pain and fatigue.

What are the factors which can cause fatigue in patients with arthritis?
Ongoing information in patient with active disease, anemia or poor nutrition can cause fatigue. Excess use of caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and tranquilizers contribute to fatigue when used over a period of time. Disturbed sleep & depressed mood also contribute to fatigue.

Do fried and processed food trigger pain in joints?
The fried and processed food contains high amount of salt which increase advanced glycation and end product (AGE) in body. AGEs damage certain proteins in the body, and the body tries to break these AGEs in the body by using cytokines, which are inflammatory messenger resulting in inflammatory state. High amounts of sugar in the diet also result in an increase in AGEs.

Can tobacco and alcohol lead to arthritis?
Smoking increase the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, while those who consume alcohol have a higher risk for developing gout.

Is there any established diet plan in patient with arthritis?
There is no established arthritis diet plan. What works for one person may not work for someone else. It is advisable to arthritis patient to maintain a healthy body weight and eat a balanced diet.

Why it is important to control blood sugar in diabetic patients?
In diabetics, high blood glucose levels feed the formulation of certain molecules that make cartilage stiffer and more sensitive to mechanical stress. Diabetes can also trigger systematic inflammation that leads to cartilage loss. diabetic patient may develop diabetic cheiroarthropathy which leads to painful limited joints mobility.

Next part will be published  soon .
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