All about arthritis
As the name suggests, polyarthritis is a disease rheumatic that affects multiple joints. In general, it concerns women over 40, but contrary to popular belief, the disease can appear at any age, in young people and sometimes even infants. It's a disease chronic very serious which causes a destruction of the bones and the cartilages and which can last several years. The origins of polyarthritis are still unknown, if diagnosed at an early stage, some cases can be very mild, unlike others that can become very disabling.
Symptoms
If pain at least two joints persist for more than one month, consult your doctor. In general, these pain which can be very violent are accompanied by swelling of the hands, wrist or feet. Stiffness in the joints is also felt on awakening.
An altered quality of life
The gestures of everyday life like the toilet can turn into real tests for the patient. In everyday life, the discomfort felt by sick subjects can lead to a loss of autonomy. Although arthritis is not a disease fatal, it significantly reduces life expectancy.
Diagnostic
It is diagnosed after a blood screening, to assess the degree of inflammation. The diagnosis can sometimes be slow to establish because of its resemblance to other diseases and it is often a rheumatologist who will establish it accurately, after an X-ray, or an MRI that will allow to see it accurately.
How is the disease ?
The first two years, the joints deteriorate very quickly. The pain are usually felt at night and are of inflammatory origin. During the day, if you are active, the pain will fade to resurge at night. Most patients experience extreme fatigue, high fever and may lose a lot of weight.
Effective treatments: biotherapy
When the disease is treated early enough, treatments are more likely to succeed. Biotherapy is a treatment intended to calm the pain and inflammation when the joints are not very damaged. The anti TNF alpha are the reference drugs, they significantly improve the quality of life of patients.
Arthritis requires permanent follow-up
The treatments are intended to stop the evolution of the disease to avoid any handicap. Only a regular and regular radiological follow-up will allow to treat effectively the disease in the case of early detection. Once the joints are damaged, the treatments often prove ineffective.
Each case is particular and each treatment is the result of a consultation between the patient, the rheumatologist, the attending physician, the psychiatrist, the physiotherapist, the chiropodist, the occupational therapist, the dietician ...
Joint rehabilitation is also part of the treatment.
It avoids the stiffening of limbs and preserves muscle capital.
Sometimes a surgical solution can be found, to restore the joints or to calm the pain.
Our advice
Corticosteroids can also be prescribed, but it is best to work around this alternative because of all its side effects.
Do not hesitate to contact the French Association of Polyarthritis (AFP) to be informed of new treatments.
Symptoms
If pain at least two joints persist for more than one month, consult your doctor. In general, these pain which can be very violent are accompanied by swelling of the hands, wrist or feet. Stiffness in the joints is also felt on awakening.
An altered quality of life
The gestures of everyday life like the toilet can turn into real tests for the patient. In everyday life, the discomfort felt by sick subjects can lead to a loss of autonomy. Although arthritis is not a disease fatal, it significantly reduces life expectancy.
Diagnostic
It is diagnosed after a blood screening, to assess the degree of inflammation. The diagnosis can sometimes be slow to establish because of its resemblance to other diseases and it is often a rheumatologist who will establish it accurately, after an X-ray, or an MRI that will allow to see it accurately.
How is the disease ?
The first two years, the joints deteriorate very quickly. The pain are usually felt at night and are of inflammatory origin. During the day, if you are active, the pain will fade to resurge at night. Most patients experience extreme fatigue, high fever and may lose a lot of weight.
Effective treatments: biotherapy
When the disease is treated early enough, treatments are more likely to succeed. Biotherapy is a treatment intended to calm the pain and inflammation when the joints are not very damaged. The anti TNF alpha are the reference drugs, they significantly improve the quality of life of patients.
Arthritis requires permanent follow-up
The treatments are intended to stop the evolution of the disease to avoid any handicap. Only a regular and regular radiological follow-up will allow to treat effectively the disease in the case of early detection. Once the joints are damaged, the treatments often prove ineffective.
Each case is particular and each treatment is the result of a consultation between the patient, the rheumatologist, the attending physician, the psychiatrist, the physiotherapist, the chiropodist, the occupational therapist, the dietician ...
Joint rehabilitation is also part of the treatment.
It avoids the stiffening of limbs and preserves muscle capital.
Sometimes a surgical solution can be found, to restore the joints or to calm the pain.
Our advice
Corticosteroids can also be prescribed, but it is best to work around this alternative because of all its side effects.
Do not hesitate to contact the French Association of Polyarthritis (AFP) to be informed of new treatments.
