Residents with chronic joint pains or rheumatoid arthritis need not suffer in silence and wait for a long period for diagnosis for doing so could potentially reduce their lifespan and affect their quality of life, experts cautioned on Saturday. The warning came on the occasion of World Arthritis Day on Saturday in celebration of the Freedom from Arthritis Day at the Ritz Carlton Dubai.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic disorder affecting the joints of the body, making them painfully swollen which may eventually result in bone erosion or deformity. It is an autoimmune disorder wherein the body’s immune system — its own police force or defense mechanism — mistakenly attacks its own tissues.
“Being in pain every single day is like being in a prison. So we want people to be free of pain and free of this arthritis, or at least learn how to manage it so they’ll be free of pain even if they’re not free of arthritis,” Dr. Humeira Badsha, a specialist rheumatologist and founding member of the Emirates Arthritis Foundation, told Gulf News.
“Joints are extremely important because they hold the skeleton together. Anyone with rheumatoid arthritis can live an average of 10 years less than a normal patient. Their lifespan is reduced as a result of arthritis,” Dr. Badsha said, based on studies abroad.
