Myth on rheumatoid arthritis; neither it is curable or preventable

Corresponding Author:

Md Monoarul Haque
Faculty of Medical Studies
Bangladesh University of Professionals
Bangladesh
E-mail: monoarmunna@yahoo.com

Abstract

Editorial

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease in nature because it attacks its own immune system wrongly. It is established that female are more sufferer than male. According to Haq SA et al. [1] the overall prevalence of RA in Bangladesh is 0.7% in rural population and 0.4% in urban population. The available literature concerning RA in our country is limited and studies to date have been small and I did not find any such study on recent data. In our day-to-day practice, we observe that many patients come with RA with expectation of full recovery. Even they come to physiotherapy center with a lot of medical records and want assurance to get complete cure as well as they thought that physiotherapy is the last option of RA treatment. But after taking detail history, it is known that nobody told them about the nature of the disease. They were prescribed mostly medication even not refer to the physiotherapist. There is no known permanent cure for RA. The early treatment of RA results in better outcomes. The treatment of RA optimally involves a combination of patient education, rest and exercise, joint protection, medications, and occasionally surgery. Presently, there is no hope for RA patients because there is no specific prevention approach for RA. Though some factors like cigarette smoking, exposure to silica mineral and chronic periodontal disease are thought to be a risk factor for RA.

References

1. Haq SA, Darmawan J, Islam MN, et al. Prevalence of rheumatic disease and associated outcomes in rural and urban communities in Bangladesh: a COPCORD study. J. Rheumatol. 32(2), 348-353 (2005).