Post 100

People are often confused about the meaning of the two words - arthritis and rheumatism. Arthritis means disease of or damage to the joints. The term rheumatic disease is used to refer to all types of arthritis and rheumatism.

Arthritis actually is an umbrella term covering more than 100 different diseases. Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis are the two most common conditions we come across.

Osteoarthritis is a condition, in which the cartilage surface that lines the joints becomes damaged and eventually deteriorates, often affecting the hands, hips, knee and spine. Most people over 60 have some degree of osteoarthritis, although not all experience its most painful symptoms.

Another common but very different type is Rheumatoid Arthritis, in which the immune system goes after healthy joint tissue, leading to inflammation and damage to the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis, which afflicts about one crore people in India and affects the young and the old alike, is not merely a physical disability but also affects the person's life span.

Rheumatic diseases fall into four main groups:

* Inflammatory arthritis for which Rheumatoid arthritis is an example. But there are many other forms of inflammatory arthritis, including gout, reactive arthritis and arthritis associated with colitis and psoriasis. There are other rarer disorders that can affect many parts of the body called connective tissue diseases such as Systematic Lupus Erythematosis (SLE).
* Osteoarthritis
* Soft tissue rheumatism where rheumatic pain arises from damage to areas around joints, such as ligaments and tendons. Minor injury or overuse can result in localized pain which often lasts only for a short period. Tennis elbow or housemaid's knee are examples.
* Back pain - this can be caused by any one of a number of problems, including stresses on the spine, damage to or degeneration of the muscles, discs, ligaments and joints, and some specific rheumatic diseases. Osteoarthritis can also affect the back, in which case it is usually referred to simply as spondylosis.

Arthritis and rheumatism do not affect according to age, sex, race, class or country. It is a common worldwide problem.

People with arthritis are often confronted with pain every day and nit limits their ability to lead a full and active life. It is one of the leading causes of disability in this country, but it is not, as many people think, an inevitable part of growing older. Research has offered a better understanding of arthritis and the effective ways to prevent it and its complications. The earlier a diagnosis can be made and the earlier therapy can be started, greater the chance of minimizing discomfort and minimizing the risk of disability.

Rheumatologists specialize in medical aspects of arthritis and orthopedic surgeons specialize in surgical aspects of arthritis. Ideally patients must first visit the rheumatologists as most rheumatic diseases do not require surgery. It is preferable to try medical interventions long before there is a need for surgery.

Activities in the home, at the office, in industry and agriculture and inn other areas almost inevitably bring with them the problem of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD).

In most cases, there basic facts - inadequate education, poverty and lack of awareness - hinder attempts to deal with the MSD problem. Poor working conditions and non-enforcement of statutory norms are additional factors.

There is a great deal of ignorance concerning MSD in most India industries. Unsuitable tools, bad work posture and improper work height or reach are the major causes of MSD.

We now think of four different types of treatment strategy -

1. Prevention 2. Cure 3. Effective treatment or control of established disease 4. Containment or salvage.

Treatment is getting better all the time. New drugs (like biologic therapy) and operations are safer and more effective than before and there is also greater recognition of what can be achieve through self-help and caring. The best of old is being combined with modern therapy to improve the lot of the person with rheumatic diseases - providing a more rounded, holistic approach to treatmen

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared 2001-2010 as the decade of ‘Bone and Joint' diseases. There is not better time for the health professionals to work hard to crate awareness of arthritis among people and provide appropriate advice.

A sprain is an injury to a ligament. A ligament is a thick, tough, fibrous tissue that connects bones together. Commonly injured ligaments are in the ankle, knee and waist. The ligaments can be injured by being stretched too far from their normal position. The purpose of having ligaments is to hold your skeleton together in a normal alignment - ligaments prevent abnormal movements. However, when too much force is applied to a ligament, such a in a fall, the ligaments can be stretched or torn; this injury is called a sprain.

A strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon. Muscles move your skeleton in an amazing variety of ways. When a muscle contracts it pulls on a tendon, which is in turn connected to your bone. Muscles are made to stretch, but if stretched too far, or if stretched while contracting, an injury called a strain may result. A strain can either be a stretching or tear of the muscle or tendon.