2023-06-11 06:58:40
Adherence to treatment depends not only on the medication indicated by the doctor, but also on the adoption of healthy lifestyle habits and direct communication with the specialist.
By: Luisa Ochoa
There are multiple factors involved in the success or failure of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, among them is the choice of certain medications, medical follow-up and the reduction of factors that exacerbate the condition.
Even so, the dialogue with the rheumatologist is a key connection to know what to expect from the treatment and to evaluate possible complications or symptoms that deteriorate the quality of life of those who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.
This was explained by Dr. Ileana Vázquez, rheumatologist, in an interview for the Medicine and Public Health Magazine during the annual convention of the Association of Rheumatologists of Puerto Rico.
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Managing pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
“The important thing is that when the patient goes to see a rheumatologist, he can explain his symptoms well, go into detail about the type of pain he suffers, at what time of day it worsens, since that helps us to provide better treatment,” he said. .
Pain is a constant in patients With rheumatoid arthritis, in fact, this condition not only affects the patient physically but also emotionally, which can lead them to consider that the treatments are not working or that their condition has no way out.
“It is important to recognize where the pain comes from in order to give a good treatment. There is musculoskeletal pain and neuropathic pain. It is essential that the patient describe how the pain feels in different ways to find the origin and to be able to indicate the most appropriate medications to reduce and improve the problem that the patient has”, commented the rheumatologist.
The key is in the doctor-patient relationship
To achieve improvement in rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, patients they must maintain direct communication with the rheumatologist, where they openly express their ailments and how they feel, even if they are on a treatment plan
“Once the patient is under treatment, it is very important that they do not stop talking if the pain persisted, if it disappeared, or if the medication is generating a new symptom. It is important to be proactive and mention all these things in detail with the rheumatologist,” said Dr. Vázquez.
In this sense, the education that the patient has can also contribute to this dialogue with the doctor, since not all pain can be associated with rheumatoid arthritis, but rather, on the contrary, it can be due to other diseases that require evaluation.
“The expectations that the patient has about the treatment are important because rheumatoid arthritis drugs do not take away the pain if it is caused by other diseases,” he said.
Impact of rheumatoid arthritis in Puerto Rico
According to a study carried out by researchers from the University of Texas and the University of Puerto Rico, a decrease in the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis has been observed on the Island, thanks to a comprehensive approach to disease management and monitoring of the patients through health insurance programs and access to medicines.
In 2016, it was estimated that the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis in Puerto Rico was 2 cases per 1,000 beneficiaries, being more frequent in women with a ratio of 3 cases per 1,000 beneficiaries, that is, 4.5 times more prevalent than in men.
Currently, the disease is the second most common type of arthritis in the population.
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