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Rheumatism: Early Identification, Treatment Key To Lasting Remedy

By GERALDINE AKUTU
14 February 2016   |   4:54 am
Rheumatism had been a cause for concern for both old and young because of the excruciating pain and discomfort it leaves on the patient. Dr. Ima Edomwonyi, specialist rheumatologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) spoke to GERALDINE AKUTU, on its management. Overview Over the centuries, doctors and patients alike have used Rheumatism to…
Dr. Ima

Dr. Ima

Rheumatism had been a cause for concern for both old and young because of the excruciating pain and discomfort it leaves on the patient. Dr. Ima Edomwonyi, specialist rheumatologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) spoke to GERALDINE AKUTU, on its management.

Overview
Over the centuries, doctors and patients alike have used Rheumatism to explain various forms of persistent, chronic disabling body aches and pains. It is really not a diagnosis, saying someone has rheumatism isn’t saying anything specific. The term Rheumatism may describe several symptoms especially painful joints, muscle and bone that persist and reduce a person’s normal activity.

Again, rheumatism is not a disease entity. Instead, it describes a set of symptoms affecting joints, muscle and bone. As many as 100 to 200 Rheumatic diseases (which are diseases of the muscle, bone and joints not caused by trauma) can present with rheumatism or rheumatic symptoms.

These varied rheumatic diseases such as Osteoarthritis, Lupus, Soft tissue rheumatism, fibromyalgia, Gout, spondylarthritis and other forms of inflammatory arthritis have different possible causes, which may be known, unknown or are still being studied by scientists.

Talking on the symptoms, he says: “Rheumatism may be known or identified by a combination of the following characteristics:
Pain or discomfort, around one or more joints – where two bones meet (including the spine).
Pain on moving the affected body area(s).
Pain to touch of the affected body region(s).
Stiffness of the affected part(s), especially after a period of immobility such as difficulty moving the body in the morning or after sitting for a long while.
Improvement of symptoms after mild exercise, but worsening after vigorous exercise.
Worsening of symptoms in response to climatic factors, especially falling barometric pressure and rising humidity e.g. in cold weather.

Improvement of symptoms in response to warming the affected area(s).
“Not all rheumatic diseases have all these seven characteristics, but most will at least have the first four. Rheumatic conditions can affect the young and old, men and women. A condition like osteoarthritis tends to occur in older individuals, while a condition like rheumatoid arthritis can be seen in young people.”
On Differences Between rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis

There are differences, he says. “Rheumatism is a non-specific description of symptoms affecting the joints, muscles, bones and surrounding structures. This can be seen in as many as 200 Rheumatic diseases of which Rheumatoid arthritis is one of them.

“Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on the other hand, is a specific rheumatic disease, which refers to a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints. It is a form of autoimmune arthritis, in which the immune system attacks the joints of an individual. It is commoner in women, occurring between between one’s 30th and 50th birthday.

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