Rheumatic Disease
Overview of Rheumatic Disease
Rheumatic Disease Meaning in Urdu
یہ بیماری جوڑوں، پٹھوں، اور ہڈیوں کو متاثر کرتی ہے۔ اس بیماری کی وجہ سے جوڑ سوزش اور سرخی کا شکار ہو جاتے ہیں جب کہ جوڑوں کے شدید درد کا بھی سامنا کرنا پڑتا ہے۔ یہ بیماری اس وقت لاحق ہوتی ہے جب مدافعتی نظام غلطی سے جسم کے خلیات پر حملہ آور ہو جاتا ہے۔ اس بیماری سے نجات حاصل کرنے کے لیے کچھ ادویات استعمال کرنے کا مشورہ دیا جاتا ہے۔ جب کہ باقاعدگی سے ورزش، متوازن غذا، اور ذہنی دباؤ میں کمی لانے سے بھی اس بیماری کی شدت کم ہوتی ہے۔
Rheumatic disease (گٹھیا کی بیماری) is an autoimmune system disease that affects the joints, muscles, and bones. In this disease, the immune system goes awry and starts attacking the body’s joints. People generally consider it as a form of arthritis.
People who have rheumatic arthritis can suffer from serious organ loss such as lungs, hearts, kidneys, and eyes. If left untreated this disease can lead to serious bone or cartilage breakdown. This may result in a condition in which the person is unable to carry out everyday tasks such as walking or combing.
Signs and Symptoms of Rheumatic Disease
Given below are some of the common signs and symptoms of rheumatic diseases:
- Joint swelling
- Severe pain in joints
- Painful sensation and tenderness in the joints
- Warmth and redness in the joint area
- Tiredness
- Limited movement in the affected areas
- Rigid joint movement
Types of Rheumatic Disease
Some of the common types of rheumatic diseases are:
- Osteoarthritis
- Lupus
- Gout
- Scleroderma
- Sjogren’s syndrome
- Rheumatic arthritis
- Spondyloarthropathies
- Infectious arthritis
- Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
- Polymyalgia rheumatica
Causes of Rheumatic Disease
This condition mostly happens when your immune system attacks the body tissues. There is no exact cause for this disease. Doctors even suspect that this can be due to your genetics. It can be due to any other trigger such as passive smoke, air pollutants, or infection-causing agents. Women are at a greater risk than men.
Risk Factors of Rheumatic Disease
Certain risk factors of rheumatic disease that increase the onset of this disease are:
-
Age
Age is one of the most common risk factors for rheumatic disease. Given below are some diseases which are more common in adulthood or middle age.
- Lupus
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Scleroderma
-
Gender
Women are more susceptible to the following rheumatic diseases:
- Lupus
- Scleroderma
- Sjorgen’s syndrome
- Polymyalgia rheumatica
On the other hand, the following rheumatic diseases affect men:
- Gout
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Exposure to infection
-
Certain Underlying Conditions
Some chronic medical conditions such as:
- Hypothyroidism
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Kidney failure
- Gout
-
Family History
Family history increases the chances of a person getting rheumatic disease.
-
Excessive Weight
Those who are overweight have a higher chance of rheumatic disease.
Rheumatic Disease Complications
The health complications of rheumatic disease are as follows:
- Infections
- Dry eyes and mouth
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Osteoporosis
- Rheumatoid nodules
- Abnormal body composition
- Chronic cardiac issues
- Respiratory diseases
- Lymphoma
Certain risk factors of rheumatic disease that increase the onset of this disease are:
-
Age
Age is one of the most common risk factors for rheumatic disease. Given below are some diseases which are more common in adulthood or middle age.
- Lupus
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Scleroderma
-
Gender
Women are more susceptible to the following rheumatic diseases:
- Lupus
- Scleroderma
- Sjorgen’s syndrome
- Polymyalgia rheumatica
On the other hand, the following rheumatic diseases affect men:
- Gout
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Exposure to infection
-
Certain Underlying Conditions
Some chronic medical conditions such as:
- Hypothyroidism
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Kidney failure
- Gout
-
Family History
Family history increases the chances of a person getting rheumatic disease.
-
Excessive Weight
Those who are overweight have a higher chance of rheumatic disease.
Rheumatic Disease Complications
The health complications of rheumatic disease are as follows:
- Infections
- Dry eyes and mouth
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Osteoporosis
- Rheumatoid nodules
- Abnormal body composition
- Chronic cardiac issues
- Respiratory diseases
- Lymphoma
Prevention
Some of the best preventive strategies for rheumatic diseases are:
- Try to maintain a healthy weight
- Quit smoking
- Avoid passive smoke
- Engage yourself in physical activity
- Make sure to adopt healthy habits
- Try to eat healthy
Diagnosis
The doctor will ask you questions about your health history. The doctor will also suggest you undergo x-rays and will take joint fluid samples. Some of the blood tests that they suggest for inflammation assessment are:
-
CBC
CBC is also known as Complete Blood Count. This test is important because it provides insight into the complete blood profile.
-
C-Reactive Protein
The level of C-reactive protein in the blood is an inflammation marker.
-
Antinuclear Antibody
This blood test provides an assessment of antinuclear antibodies in a person.
Treatment of Rheumatic Disease | When to Consult a Doctor
Some of the best treatment methodologies for rheumatic disease are:
-
Medications
Primary healthcare providers may suggest the patients the following medicines.
-
Oral Analgesics
Your doctor may recommend you take oral analgesics depending upon the disease severity. These over-the-counter painkillers do not treat the disease but help to nullify the pain.
-
NSAIDs
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium are often recommended by doctors for pain.
-
Corticosteroids
These medicines are the best-inflammatory medicines but they have certain side effects.
-
Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs)
These prescripted drugs help to slow down the spread of the disease. It directly affects the immune system and has anti-inflammatory effects on the body.
-
Biologics
It is a special class of DMARDs that work by targeting the inflammatory process of the body.
-
Other Treatments
Some other treatments for the rheumatic disease are:
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Hot and cold compresses
- Physically relaxing activities
- Invasive surgical process
- Braces implantation or splints to support the weakened joints