Arthritis in Australia
According to the AIHW recent report, about half of all Australians have a chronic disease, and around 20% have at least two. The report covers eight chronic diseases: arthritis, asthma, back problems, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and mental health conditions.
According to AIHW report, 28% of Australians suffer from musculoskeletal conditions, including arthritis. That’s around 6.1 million people. 1 in 7 Australians self-reported having arthritis in 2011-12 – 2 million women compared to 1.3 million men. Moreover, $5.7 billion was spent on arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions in 2008-09. Of this, $1,637 million was spent on osteoarthritis, $1,177 million on back problems, $355 million on rheumatoid arthritis and $305 million on osteoporosis[1].
Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints. Age is the strongest predictor of the disease (in particular, osteoarthritis) and therefore increasing age and extended life expectancy will result in a greater occurrence of the disease. The symptoms of arthritis are pain and swelling in the joints and surrounding tissues. This is often accompanied by stiffness and decreased movement.
There are 4 common forms of arthritis:
- Osteoarthritis (OA) - caused by wear and tear on joints
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) - an autoimmune disease that causes pain and inflammation in joints
- Gout - caused by a build-up of uric acid in the bloodstream
- Ankylosing spondylitis - inflammation of the spine and pelvis
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis in Australia and is considered a form of degenerative joint disease, i.e. your ’wear and tear’ type issue. The other common types of arthritis can be more linked to an auto-immune disorder or infection within the joint.
Treatment
There is unfortunately no known cure for both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment options vary depending on the type of arthritis but may be divided into 3 categories:
- Pharmacological: Includes control of pain and improvement in function and quality of life while limiting drug toxicity. For OA, medications such as paracetamol (Panadol osteo) may be indicated. For RA and other inflammatory types, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAID’s) such as ibuprofen may be prescribed. In more severe cases, a category of drug called disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDS) may be administered (e.g. Methotrexate).
- Non-pharmacological: Physical therapy such as osteopathy, lifestyle modification such as weight loss and a tailored exercise program and orthopaedic bracing can all be considered.
- Surgical intervention: Is generally reserved for failed medical management where functional disability affect’s a person’s quality of life.
Taking into consideration an osteopath cannot cure a condition such as arthritis, they may be able to provide manual treatment techniques such as soft tissue massage and passive joint articulation, which may reduce muscle spasm surrounding the joint and improve blood flow and nutrition to within the affected joint/s. They will also be able to formulate an appropriate exercise/mobility regime, aimed to optimise quality joint movement and body function.
Prevention
There are some management ploys that may curb the severity and/or onset of arthritis:
- See your GP or physical therapist for advice.
- Keep active and stick to a well-balanced diet. Exercise has proven to keep your joints and muscles healthy and flexible, and a diet aimed at maintaining an ideal body weight is recommended.
There is poor independent evidence to support the use of joint supplements such as glucosamine sulphate, however, anecdotally some people have reported either relief or reduction in their arthritic symptoms.
[1] Arthritis, osteoporosis and other musculoskeletal conditions AIHW report – http://www.aihw.gov.au/arthritis-and-musculoskeletal-conditions/