Among the autoimmune rheumatic diseases, perhaps rheumatoid arthritis is the pathology most known to the population. Or, at least, it is a disease that is heard about quite often. Despite being considered an uncommon disease, it is estimated that there are 7 million people affected by rheumatoid arthritis in India.
Rheumatoid arthritis occurs due to a dysregulation of the immune system, resulting in chronic inflammation in the joints that leads to the destruction of these structures. This inflammation can also occur in other parts of the body, such as in the eyes, lungs, peripheral nerves, and skin.
Historically, when we talk about rheumatoid arthritis, we imagine a person suffering, in pain, in a wheelchair, dependent, with deformed joints. This is how rheumatoid arthritis affected the lives of renowned artists, such as the French painter Renoir and the French singer Édith Piaf, whose weight of the disease is known to have marked their biographies.
However, thanks to advances in early diagnosis and the effectiveness of current arthritis treatment in Delhi, the lives of people with rheumatoid arthritis today are very different from the suffering experienced in the past.
Today, it is known the importance of early diagnosis to institute treatment quickly, following the same reasoning as an early cancer diagnosis. It is known that the sooner we start treating rheumatoid arthritis, the greater the control over the disease. This control means that the complications of the untreated disease will be avoided, especially the joint deformities, which lead to a great loss in the day-to-day functions and loss of quality of life.
Like many other chronic diseases, the onset of rheumatoid arthritis can be very subtle. It is important to pay attention to persistent pain, especially accompanied by swelling, in small joints of the hands, wrists and feet, which are worse in the morning, which alleviate throughout the day. There may be a picture of prolonged sensation, for more than an hour, of morning stiffness, where the joints are very difficult to move. Tiredness and fatigue can occur simultaneously with joint pain. All people with this type of complaint should be evaluated by the best rheumatologist in Delhi. Based on findings from the conversation with the patient, the clinical examination and with the aid of some specific laboratory tests and also suitable imaging methods, the arthritis specialist in Delhi can make the diagnosis of the disease and start the treatment of the patient.
As rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic health problem, it is very important that there is a partnership between the patient and his arthritis specialist in Delhi. Treatment involves the use of medications that act on the immune system and requires regular and frequent monitoring. At each visit, the top rheumatologist in Delhi makes adjustments to the treatment according to the patient’s clinical response. These adjustments must occur in relatively short intervals of time, in order to achieve adequate doses of medications and maximum control of the disease. Keeping the disease under control, the joints are preserved, their function is maintained, there is quality life. The rheumatologist in Delhi is the physician with the knowledge and experience to conduct the follow-up of people with rheumatoid arthritis and even to diagnose this disease among so many others that can also manifest themselves with joint pain. Although there is still no cure for this disease, the progress in this area of medicine allows people to live well, study, play sports, work, take care of their families. The secret is, of course, in early diagnosis and specialized care.