| Over 3
Million Australians are affected by Arthritis
- this
country’s leading cause of disability
and chronic pain
(Access Economics Report 2005).
Arthritis
and Rheumatism - what's the difference?
Arthritis
means inflammation of a joint. Rheumatism is
a general term used to describe any pain
in the
musculoskeletal system.
There
are more than 100 different forms of Arthritis
- all the
different types of musculoskeletal diseases
and conditions come
under the classification of Rheumatic Disease.
What are the
common types of arthritis?
There are three main categories of arthritis...
1. Degenerative (eg, Osteoarthritis)
2. Inflammatory (eg, Rheumatoid Arthritis,
Ankylosing Spondylitis, Psoriatic Arthritis)
3. Crystal arthritis (eg, gout)
Not
all-musculoskeletal pain is caused by arthritis.
Pain can arise from irritation of tissues around
joints, such
as ligaments and tendons (often referred
to as ‘soft
tissues’).
Minor
injury or overuse can cause localised pain,
which
often lasts only for a short period. Tennis
elbow and
housemaid’s knee are examples.
In addition, more generalised pain can
develop in muscles
or joints in situations where there is
no
arthritis, e.g.
fibromyalgia
To read more about different types of
arthritis, click here.
How does it affect you?
 Arthritis
and musculoskeletal pain can affect different people
in different ways. Everyone gets aches
and pains in
their muscles and joints from time to time
particularly if
they take part in strenuous physical activities. Such
pain is often short lived. However the
different types of
arthritis require medical assessment and
intervention, the
aim of which is to induce remission, relieve
pain and improve
function. Effective
treatment will help to reduce the risk
of disability and pain even in the most severe cases.
Persistent and recurring pain
and stiffness in or around
joints, which has no
obvious cause, could be
due to arthritis. Other
symptoms of arthritis
can include tiredness,
a general feeling of being unwell, loss of
weight, mild fevers or night sweats, and
skin rashes. These
symptoms are not specific to arthritis,
however,
and can
be caused by other illnesses...
...If in doubt, consult your doctor!
How is it diagnosed?
Each
year a large number of people visit their
General Practitioner
(GP) with symptoms such as back pain, neck pain,
muscle pain or swollen and painful joints. Often, these symptoms are not severe and
may last just
a few days, in which case the GP will provide
advice or
treatment and allow the problem to resolve.
But,
if the
pain persists or is severe, your GP may
decide
to refer
you to a specialist in musculoskeletal
diseases.
If
you have any of the symptoms previously
mentioned it
is important to see your GP as soon as
possible. Your GP
will take a history and do a medical examination. Additional
investigations such as blood tests, X rays
and scans may also be required.
What treatment is there for arthritis?
There
is as yet no single cure for arthritis,
however many forms
of arthritis can be effectively controlled
and the symptoms managed to give you a better quality
of life.
Currently
international and national research continues at
great pace providing hope for the development
of new treatments in the future.
Because
arthritis affects people differently the
management of
your arthritis needs to be tailored accordingly.
For this reason it is very important
that you develop an effective partnership
with your Doctor and healthcare team so
they can
assist you to manage your pain and any
other problems that you encounter.
As
well as your GP and Rheumatologist other
members of
the health care team could include a physiotherapist, occupational
therapist, pharmacist, podiatrist, registered nurse, social worker, psychologist and nutritionist.
How can I help myself?
Take
control of your life and your arthritis,
and don’t let it control you. An effective partnership
requires you
to communicate and work closely with your
health care team, family and friends.
In
its report 'Innovative care for people
with chronic conditions',
the World Health Organisation presents
health self-management
as a key strategy to tackle the increasing global burden of chronic diseases (WHO 2002).
Self-management
aims to help you acquire the knowledge
and skills to self-manage your arthritis. Self-management
is the ability to make informed choices
about your treatment and to change your behaviour to improve your health and quality
of life.
 Arthritis
NSW provides information, various self-management
programs and activities to assist you develop
and/or maintain the skills to self-manage
your disease. Arthritis can affect your
quality of life
and your lifestyle.
It
is important to develop skills and apply
them to:
- Healthy eating
- Physical exercise
- Leisure activities
- Stress Management and relaxation
- Interpersonal relationships
- Managing and reducing your pain
- Safe and effective use of medicines
- Caring for your joints
- Balancing rest, activity and exercise
- Monitoring your response to treatment
- Working in partnership with your
healthcare team to develop and modify
your treatment
plan
There
is a new online self-management program
titled 'Challenging
Arthritis' which you can access
and join at www.challengingarthritis.org
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