What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune degenerative disease that causes inflammation and degradation in the major joints of your body. The condition makes the joints stiff, swelled, and painful to move. Like other autoimmune disorders, in RA, the body’s protective mechanism considers its joints a foreign invader and starts attacking them. The attack of the immune system results in swelling and build-up of fluid in the synovium, (the space between your two bones that make up the joint) this acts on and depletes the cartilage (a non-bony structure that is present to reduce the friction between two bones) and the bones keep grinding into each other making the movement painful.
Initially, it only affects the joints of the body but with time it can damage skin, lungs, heart, and other major organ systems. The major difference between Rheumatoid Arthritis and other forms of Arthritis is that it is symmetrical and simultaneously affects identical areas of the body. For example, it can begin with painful sensations in both wrists and difficulty doing the most basic tasks with it. The main joints that are affected by RA include:
- Fingers
- Shoulders
- Wrists
- Knees
- Ankles
- Feet
- Toes
The signs and symptoms of the disease vary from person to person, and it also depends on age, sex, and lifestyle. Sometimes people go into remission resulting in reduced pain, swelling, and other symptoms associated with Rheumatoid arthritis but the condition itself cannot be cured. It can always return and progress even faster.
Risk Factors for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
While there isn’t any definitive explanation for autoimmune disorders. A lot of different factors can contribute to the triggering of the immune system that leads to this condition. The most common risk factors include:
- Gender
- Age
- Heredity
- Smoking
- Obesity
Rheumatoid Arthritis also increases the risk of developing other complications such as Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, Osteoporosis, Lymphoma, Heart diseases, etc.
Can Physiotherapy help patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Physiotherapy is an amazing tool to help patients with chronic conditions such as Rheumatoid Arthritis perform daily routine activities without any hindrance. Physiotherapy can improve mobility of the affected joint with the help of:
- Hot/Cold Pack Compressions -These can be used to treat both acute and chronic stages of the disease. Hot packs are used for chronic conditions while Ice packs can help patients with acute conditions.
- Electrical Stimulation – Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) can be used as electrotherapy for patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Ten to fifteen minutes of therapy every week can improve functionality and reduce pain.
- Massage – A proper and thorough massage by qualified professionals can be very soothing and helpful for patients.
- Exercise – One of the best tools to help patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis would be some therapeutic exercises that can specifically target the affected joint and increase its flexibility.
- Patient Education – Along with rehabilitation techniques and therapies, patients can be counseled on how to live with their condition constructively and not let their disease hold them back. While resting the joints is important, it is also necessary to keep them mobile.
A physiotherapist can help patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis to curb their discomfort and operate much more smoothly. Therefore, patients with this condition need to reach out and get the necessary treatment they can before their joints lose their mobility. At Vivid, we have an advanced Physiotherapy Clinic to deal with such conditions. Our Physiotherapists work hand in hand, along with essential equipment to provide comfort and relief to our patients. We also guide them on the better management of their condition so that it doesn’t impede their routine tasks and keep their joints functioning a lot longer than expected with this disorder. If you are suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis, visit us today.