Why you must get your back, joint pain checked

We all know someone who struggles with back and joint pains. During advanced stages, patients frequently undergo knee replacements, spine surgery, or other procedures to get relief from pain. But it is important to explore the root cause of these problems.

Ageing can be an important cause of pain. This is what is medically called ‘degenerative diseases of the joints and discs’ or ‘noninflammatory arthritis’. Ageing-related degenerative processes are typically not uniform in all parts of the body. They can be very advanced in some areas with only moderate in others. Knee osteoarthritis, which is the most common cause of knee pain in elderly patients, falls in this group.  

Degenerative disc disease is an important cause of back pain. If not tackled early, degenerative disc disease can lead to secondary compression of the nerve roots close to the spine. These patients have symptoms that modern medicine refers to as radicular symptoms, like numbness or a tingling sensation. 

Another important disease being identified increasingly nowadays is fibromyalgia. In fibromyalgia patients, all blood tests return normal despite the patient being in intense pain. After understanding the aetiology of the non-inflammatory pain, one can prevent progression with exercise, targeted physiotherapy and neuropathic medications., We also frequently give local injections to help reduce the wear and tear process temporarily.

The mal-activation of the immune system (autoimmune) against our organs results in inflammatory arthritis, which forms the other group.  These diseases are much more severe, can present at any age, and should be treated by a rheumatologist. Early diagnosis and optimal treatment are crucial in preventing permanent joint damage and leading a pain-free life.

Inflammatory arthritis can be limited to just the joints — gout (arthritis related to high uric acid) — or become rheumatoid arthritis. It can also affect joints and other organ systems, as in the case of lupus (kidneys, lungs, blood counts), Sjogren’s syndrome (dry eyes and mouth), or vasculitis (kidneys, skin) etc. It is a common myth in our society that there is no medicine for arthritis in allopathy. Inflammatory arthritis is like any chronic disease — diabetes or hypertension — now. Patients who consult a rheumatologist early and start treatments up front have the best chances of living a happy life. 

Contemporary advances in medicine have shown excellent efficacy against even the most severe forms of inflammatory arthritis without the chronic use of steroids and painkillers. Ideally, all patients with joint pain should get a comprehensive assessment to identify which etiological group they belong to receive the correct treatment. 

EATING RIGHT GOES A LONG WAY 
A balanced, nutritious diet will give the body the tools it needs to prevent further damage to the joints. Eating enough antioxidants, including vitamins A, C, and E, may help reduce pain and inflammation, and make daily life a lot more easier.

Dr Sandeep Surendran 

The author is a specialist at comprehensive arthritis clinic, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences