Wrist hurts from too much work? He was diagnosed with "rheumatoid arthritis" at the age of 22! Medical: Seek medical attention immediately if 2 signs appear
Pet groomer’s wrist pain turns out to be rheumatoid arthritis after thinking she’s overworked
If you have pain in your fingers or wrists after working, but it doesn’t get better with rest, treatment or even rehabilitation, you should be aware that it is “rheumatoid arthritis”. Dr. Cai Yunzhen from the Department of Rheumatology and Allergy at Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital said that in the past, a male pet groomer in his 20s was admitted to the rehabilitation department for treatment of wrist pain. After treatment for a period of time, no improvement was seen, and he was diagnosed with rheumatoid joints. inflammation, and the joints have been eroded and fused, making it almost impossible to bend the wrist.
Dr. Cai Yunzhen pointed out that there are about 100,000 rheumatoid arthritis patients in Taiwan, and it mostly occurs in the 30-50 years old. It is not common belief that it occurs in the elderly group. With the increasing health awareness of Taiwanese people and the advancement of diagnostic tools, the number of people diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis has continued to increase in recent years, and it has become a major rheumatic immune disease. 80-85% of patients suffer joint damage in the first 2 years of the disease, and middle-aged and middle-aged patients are more likely to suffer from repeated disease control under the multiple pressures of life, work and social life.
The prevalence rate of rheumatoid arthritis is about 1-2%. Dr. Cai Yunzhen reminds that if you feel joint discomfort after a day of work or labor, it is more likely to be degenerative arthritis; if arthritis is usually worst in the morning If it is severe, or if you have symptoms of “morning stiffness” or joint pain that persists into the morning after sleeping and resting, you should suspect rheumatoid arthritis. It is currently recommended that if joint pain symptoms persist for 3-6 months and no clear cause can be found at the orthopedic rehabilitation department, you can go to the rheumatology department for examination as soon as possible.
Not being able to see it does not mean it is not serious. Young patients with rheumatoid arthritis feel sad.
Dr. Cai Yunzhen said that rheumatoid arthritis is listed as one of the “five major terminal diseases” by the World Health Organization. When the disease occurs in middle-aged and middle-aged people, in addition to pain, it will cause difficulty in movement, and daily life such as brushing teeth, buttoning underwear, and holding chopsticks will be affected. At work, there is no obvious change in appearance but it affects mobility, which can easily be misunderstood as laziness or poor work attitude. The external myths about rheumatoid arthritis also inadvertently increase the physical and mental stress of patients.
Compared with patients who develop symptoms around menopause, young adults live with rheumatoid arthritis longer and need to pay more attention to the prognosis of the disease. Research shows that early intervention with biologic treatment can help control bone deformation in rheumatoid arthritis, or It helps partially worn bones grow back. It is recommended that patients discuss appropriate treatments with their doctors to regain their quality of life.
Rheumatoid arthritis can be complicated by severe disease. Exercise and calcium supplementation can improve joint symptoms.
Dr. Cai Yunzhen pointed out that rheumatoid arthritis is also known as the “immortal cancer.” Although some patients look like ordinary people, they are actually suffering from joint pain or extra-articular symptoms. They not only need to fight for a long time, but are not properly treated. You will also face the risk of serious complications in other organs, such as stroke, eye disease, cardiovascular disease, lung disease, cutaneous vasculitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and osteoporotic joint damage.
Dr. Cai Yunzhen reminded that rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. Many health products today claim to be able to “modulate immunity.” You must discuss it with your doctor before use to ensure safety. Rheumatoid arthritis is easily complicated by osteoporosis. Patients can supplement more calcium and maintain exercise habits to help improve joint pain symptoms.
Can the medication be stopped if the joints are not swollen or painful? Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment Myths
Lu Junji, the attending physician of the Department of Rheumatology, Immunology and Allergy, Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, pointed out that young and middle-aged patients with rheumatoid arthritis shoulder a heavy financial burden. After working during the day, they still have to return for medical treatment at night or on holidays. The level of physical and mental fatigue requires more attention from family, workplace and society. Support. In particular, the incidence rate among women is three times that of men. When patients are faced with the need to prepare for pregnancy, they should actively discuss treatment methods with doctors to reduce the worsening of the condition.
Dr. Lu Junji reminded that Taiwanese people hold many myths about rheumatoid arthritis. For example, they believe that as long as the joints are not swollen, they can stop taking medication on their own. In fact, even when the symptoms of joint swelling and pain disappear, damage to the joints continues. It is necessary to check the inflammation and erosion through ultrasound, and then reduce the dosage in stages according to the situation. Current drugs for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), biologics, and oral small molecule drugs. The treatment method can be adjusted according to the patient’s personal lifestyle habits to achieve better treatment compliance. .
Fighting rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term battle, and patients should understand the correct concepts. Dr. Lu Junji pointed out that in addition to discussing treatment methods with a doctor, lifestyle care, exercise and diet will also affect the condition, and some disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs will take 1-2 months to show effect. Disease activity should be evaluated according to DAS28 and CDAI index every 3-6 months, and patients with rheumatoid arthritis are encouraged to actively communicate with doctors to achieve treatment goals of reducing disease progression, protecting joint function, and preventing joint deformation.
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