Arthritis or vaat is the name given to disease of joints. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis of which Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), Connective Tissue Diseases (CTD) and Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) are the most common types of arthritis.
“Most arthritis are autoimmune diseases which occur because of a dysfunctional immune system, but some like osteoarthritis can also occur because of age-related degeneration. Most arthritis has a specific pattern, which defines them like RA and mainly affects small joints of the hands and feet, causing early morning stiffness, difficulty in making fist and holding objects.
“AS mainly affects the back and spine leading to back pain, buttock pain, difficulty in turning in bed at night and morning stiffness in the back. CTD group includes diseases like Lupus or Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), which can affects joints, skin and kidney leading to kidney failure, Sjogren Syndrome, which leads to dryness of eyes and mouth, parotid swelling along with lung diseases, Scleroderma which causes skin tightness and lung disease.”
There are specific laboratory markers that help in diagnosing these diseases, but clinical examination and history mainly decide the diagnosis. Certain tests like Rheumatoid Factor (RF), Anti CCP, HLA B27, Anti-Nuclear Antibody (ANA) are some of the important tests for these diseases.
“Treatment of these diseases may vary according to the type and severity of the diseases, but most of these are treatable. Exercise plays an important role in these diseases and diet is largely not known to aggravate them. Early diagnosis and timely treatment are crucial for arthritis and autoimmune diseases, as they can lead to permanent damage to the joints, kidneys, or lungs if left unmanaged. These conditions are best treated by a rheumatologist.”
