Many people ask me what is rheumatoid arthritis. It is an inflammation of the joints. To protect us from infections, many complex, miraculous processes take place in the internal processes of our body. For example, if the corona virus enters our body and the immune system destroys them, we will not be infected.
At times, our body's immune cells begin to destroy cells in our joints, mistakenly believing they are an enemy from the outside. Attacking the joints like a 'missile attack' causes the cells in that area to become inactive and inflamed.
Although it affects people of all ages, it mainly affects people in the age group of 20-45 years. It can affect children under the age of 16 and those over the age of 60. It affects women more than men.
Symptoms such as joint pain, swelling, tightness in the muscles, tightness of the hands after waking up in the morning, loosening of the tightness after an hour, and inability to bend the legs after getting out of bed may affect the ankles, feet, and ankles.
Damage to the wrists and joints is high. You can feel the heat when you touch the painful joints. Avoiding medication and pills for this problem is tantamount to suicide. If it comes early, treatment is easy. If delayed, the arm joints will begin to bend; It is difficult to give pills and bring it back to the old level.
Usually fever is not a symptom. If the pain persists for two weeks, does not heal with painkillers, and there is a feeling of pain and fever for the next few weeks, medical advice is necessary. Rheumatoid arthritis can be confirmed by a blood test; Some may require an 'ultrasound, MRI, scan'.
To control the pain in the beginning, steroids and painkillers may have to be given. If these two are eaten for too many days, it can affect the kidneys and liver; Ulcers may come; It can also affect the heart.
Therefore, on the advice of a doctor, no matter how many days you take the pill as advised by the doctor, no problem will come. Steroid pills can cause many side effects such as high blood pressure, eye pressure, obesity, diabetes, and osteoporosis.
Regular medical monitoring is essential. When prescribing certain pills, people are afraid to think that it is a cancer pill. Some of the pills we give are also used for cancer.
We will give a very low 'dose' for this problem. With pills, it is better to do 'physiotherapy'; No change in eating habits is required; Coffee, cigarettes, increases rheumatoid.
Dr. S. Ramakrishnan, Rheumatologist
Chennai. 98408 20053