Arthritis pain causes workers to take off 40 sick days each year

Arthritis sufferers are in so much pain that they take six times more sick days off work in comparison to their healthier colleagues, according to new estimates.

The British Society for Rheumatology, a professional charity organisation that is made up of numerous health care experts, specialises in rheumatoid and musculoskeletal medical and long term conditions, and they say that arthritis patients are typically forced to take 40 days every year because of their symptoms.

Over nine million people in the UK are believed to be suffering with arthritis, of which there are over 200 different types, including gout and rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis in an autoimmune disease which is estimated to be affecting over 580,000 people across England and Wales, more frequently prominent in women than men. Rheumatoid arthritis treatment is available today from Medical Specialists™ Pharmacy, and includes the recently added non-prescription revolutionary product Flexiseq Gel, clinically proven to reduce pain and restore mobility in the afflicted joint(s).

The condition ranges from mild to severe, and can make joints swell, feel stiff and even cause you to feel generally unwell and tired. As rheumatoid arthritis can be incredibly painful to live with, movement and simple everyday tasks can prove troublesome, as shown with the fact so many of us are being forced to take time off work due to the symptoms.

In fact, so debilitated by their excruciating symptoms, around one in seven people with rheumatoid arthritis are forced to quit work altogether just a year following their diagnosis, the British Society for Rheumatology said.

Therefore, the society have now launched its ‘Simple Tasks’ campaign which aims to raise awareness about the “significant effects” of conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.

Professor Simon Bowman, president of the society, said: “There is considerable evidence that if people are treated within 12 weeks of rheumatoid arthritis symptom onset, it dramatically reduces the likelihood of long-term damage. Treating patients with these conditions early can enable people to continue doing the things that are important to them such as keeping a job, remaining independent, raising their children.”

In addition, a new survey conducted by the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society and 2020Health that involved 2,000 rheumatoid arthritis sufferers, discovered as many as 89% are also battling chronic fatigue in addition to the more obvious pain and swelling.

The survey found that despite so many afflicted with fatigue, only half had raised the problem with their specialist nurse or rheumatologist.