October 12th is the world's hottest day for joints, let's take care of joint health together. What group of people are prone to arthritis? How to determine if you have arthritis? How should we respond?
National Health Commission
More than 100 million patients with osteoarthritis in China
Arthritis is one of the most common chronic diseases, with over 100 types and many factors that can cause it. Among them, women are three times more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than men. The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which is a non infectious inflammatory disease caused by factors such as joint degradation or overuse. According to data released by the World Health Organization, the global number of patients with osteoarthritis has exceeded 500 million. According to data released by the National Health Commission, the total incidence rate of osteoarthritis in China is 15%, with a conservative estimate of over 100 million patients.
Osteoarthritis has "three highs"
Severe cases can lead to disability
Experts introduce that osteoarthritis has the characteristics of "three highs", which are the specific "three highs"?
Pei Fuxing, Deputy Leader of the Orthopaedic Expert Group of the Accelerated Rehabilitation Surgery Expert Committee of the National Health Commission, said that there are three high levels of osteoarthritis. The first is the high incidence rate. The incidence rate of osteoarthritis is 46% among people over 40 years old, and the incidence rate is 62% among people over 60 years old. The second aspect is the high disability rate of osteoarthritis, and the third aspect is the high medical expenses.
Experts say joint pain is the most common clinical manifestation of osteoarthritis. In the initial stage, there is mild or moderate intermittent dull pain, which improves after rest and worsens after activity; Severe osteoarthritis can present with persistent pain or nocturnal pain. There may be tenderness in the joint area, especially when the joint is swollen, and in the later stage, limited joint activity worsens, ultimately leading to disability.
Arthritis is not only a 'geriatric disease'
The onset of the disease is becoming younger and younger
With the increase of age, the incidence rate of osteoarthritis is also rising, so it is often regarded as a "geriatric disease". However, experts suggest that people of all ages may suffer from osteoarthritis, and the incidence rate of osteoarthritis also appears to be younger.
Key populations of osteoarthritis include those aged 40 and above; Female population; Obese or overweight individuals; People with a history of trauma, as well as those who have been engaged in special professions such as heavy labor for a long time.
Liu Qiang, Deputy Chief Physician of the Department of Osteoarthritis at Peking University People's Hospital: The main population of osteoarthritis is still the elderly, but we have observed an increasing number of patients in their forties and fifties who may experience symptoms such as knee joint pain in clinical practice. In addition, women are more likely to develop this disease than men. This type of pain is often caused by movements such as squatting and kneeling, or climbing or going downstairs, which may cause pain in these affected joints.
In addition, there are also some types of arthritis that are becoming younger and younger, such as gouty arthritis. Previously, the onset age was generally over 40 years old, but in recent years, due to changes in dietary structure, the onset age has become younger and younger. In clinical practice, even teenage boys have developed gouty arthritis. In addition, ankylosing spondylitis may be accompanied by peripheral inflammation of the knee, hip, and ankle joints, and the high-risk population is also young men. Also, overweight, injury, infection and diabetes may cause arthritis in people of different ages.
Four indicators
Can self test for osteoarthritis
Experts explain that osteoarthritis develops over a long period of time, and if young people already have symptoms of osteoarthritis, they should be treated as soon as possible. So, how do we determine if we have osteoarthritis? Let's learn about the four commonly used indicators for self testing.
Firstly, is joint activity limited
Whether joint activity is limited is one of the criteria for self detecting osteoarthritis. If patients experience symptoms of limited joint activity, the possibility of osteoarthritis should be considered.
The second question is whether the joints are stiff
Many patients with osteoarthritis may experience symptoms of joint stiffness. Some patients exhibit inability to move their joints in the morning and require some relaxation to move.
The third indicator is whether friction sounds are emitted during joint activity
Osteoarthritis patients often feel joint friction when moving their joints, and sometimes even hear "clicking" or other friction sounds. However, many patients do not experience this symptom in the early stages, and if this symptom occurs, it must be highly valued.
The last indicator is whether the joints are swollen
Joint swelling is also one of the symptoms of osteoarthritis, often caused by fatigue, cold, excessive joint activity, etc., which causes a large amount of synovial fluid to be secreted by the joint synovium, resulting in joint effusion, commonly known as synovitis. The repeated occurrence of synovitis is an important signal indicating osteoarthritis.
If the patient experiences the above conditions during self examination, it is recommended to seek medical attention in a timely manner. A professional orthopedic doctor should be consulted for a clear diagnosis and active treatment.
