2024-02-24 15:06:00
Rheumatoid arthritis affects 0.3% of the world’s population. In our country, there is clear data on what percentage of society is diagnosed with this disease. However, it is considered common. This rheumatological disease is caused by problems with the immune system. The age threshold is quite wide. The disease can be detected from childhood to 80 years of age.
With rheumatoid arthritis, the first thing that bothers a person and brings him to the doctor is joint swelling, pain with movement and morning stiffness. A person wakes up in the morning, realizing that he does not have enough strength in his wrist to, for example, clench a fist.
For a long time he cannot extend the elbow completely, 180 degrees, and it remains half open. He may wake up and find that movement in his knees is difficult,” says Vahan Mukuchyan, head of the department of rheumatology and immunology at the Nairi Medical Center.
This is not about restricting movement. The joint either does not move or moves only limitedly. If stiffness persists for more than half an hour, then you should think about rheumatoid arthritis and consult a doctor.
According to the doctor, this moment of stiffness is important as a distinctive symptom and important information.
During the disease, the joints become affected and swell. As a rule, there is no redness. The patient may have a slight temperature – from 37.2 to 37.4. High body temperature is not typical for this disease. Rheumatoid arthritis has its favorite joints, which it affects. But there are joints that are never affected. They are considered joints of exception.
“Rheumatologists immediately rule out rheumatoid arthritis when they notice damage to the distal interphalangeal joints. His favorite joints are the wrist, metacarpophalangeal, proximal interphalangeal, elbow, knee, and ankle joints. Shoulder and hip joints too, but hip joints in particular to a lesser extent. The joints that are not affected in rheumatoid arthritis are the distal interphalangeal joints. These are the end joints,” says the rheumatologist.
Even if joint swelling goes away without treatment, the likelihood of relapse is still high, and complications are inevitable. It can even lead to disability. This is why early contact with a rheumatologist is very important. The head of the department of rheumatology and immunology at the Nairi Medical Center emphasizes that diagnosing and treating the disease is not difficult. The rheumatologist makes a diagnosis when meeting the patient. Instrumental research in this case is secondary.
“There are times when a person begins to tell a story, and after a few sentences a diagnosis can be made. There are times when it takes days, a laboratory test, another test, sonography, x-ray, so the rule is as follows: you need to listen to the patient, see his swollen, affected joints, do laboratory tests and make a diagnosis. Typically this is not a big deal,” he says.
In recent years, cases of self-treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and visiting a doctor in a complicated condition have decreased. According to Vahan Mukuchyan, one of the reasons is that the number of rheumatologists in Armenia has increased. The specialist draws attention to widespread myths about the disease and its treatment.
“People think it’s an incurable disease, so what’s the point of going to the doctor? Medicines are expensive, and these are hormones that cause harm. I would like to break this stereotype, because it is not always hormones. If there are hormones, then from the very beginning and in small quantities, then we try to remove hormonal medications,” the doctor notes.
Vahan Mukuchyan emphasizes that the latest medicines that provide good results are now more affordable than before, accessible to people with average incomes. With early diagnosis and treatment, the disease does not cause additional complications.
“Taking two or three medications a week, a person can live his whole life without problems. Therefore, you should not miss this opportunity and lead to complications of the disease, subjecting the joints to irreversible changes, when the fight against its complications begins, because it is naturally much more difficult to treat a complicated disease,” he says.
Patients with complaints can contact the specialists of the rheumatology and immunology service of the Nairi Medical Center.
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