Rheumatoid Arthritis
Knee Replacements Were Once A Common Way Of Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis. So Why Is That No Longer The Case?
What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory condition. The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society describes it as an autoimmune response in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of the joints, causing pain and inflammation. It can also be an erosive condition, removing bone and creating an extremely challenging environment for knee replacement.
What Causes Rheumatoid Arthritis?
RA is a genetic condition. We don’t precisely know what the trigger is, but most people have measurable factors in the blood that indicate whether someone is likely to get it.
What Are The Symptoms Of Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Several of the symptoms of RA are shared with osteoarthritis. Both can result in joint pain and swelling, although swelling tends to be more pronounced in RA. Joints can feel stiff and inflexible, and that stiffness can be worse after periods of sleep or inactivity.
Rheumatoid arthritis can make you feel fatigued in a way that osteoarthritis does not. It can progress relatively quickly, over weeks and months rather than years, and it can begin at any age. Osteoarthritis tends to occur later in life than RA, although it too is certainly not confined purely to old age.
How Common Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Around 400,000 people in the UK live with RA.
Is Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatable?
Yes. Unlike osteoarthritis, RA is treatable with a range of painkillers, inhibitors and steroids which reduce pain, reduce inflammation and, crucially, reduce and control the way the immune system attacks the joints.
Because these advanced medical therapies are so effective, knee replacement for RA is nowhere near as common as it once was.
Is A Knee Replacement Ever A Suitable Treatment For Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Yes, it can be. Often, these will be cases where the RA-afflicted knee looks more like a case of osteoarthritis. It may be that such instances are RA sufferers who also develop osteoarthritis. Whilst painkillers and steroids may be highly effective against RA, the long term solution for osteoarthritis is far more likely to be a knee replacement.
Seek Help Immediately
If you suspect the onset of arthritis – in any form – it’s important to have a swift diagnosis as this can dramatically affect the success of any treatment.
Talk To A Yorkshire Knee Clinic Knee Specialist Now
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