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.

What is Gout? Read why the excrutiating condition is no laughing matter…

Previously viewed a bit too light-hearted, almost as a bit of a joke, gout is anything but a laughing matter. It is actually the most prevailing type of inflammatory arthritis but in years gone by gout was typically looked upon as something that only over-indulgers picked up; those who had been hitting the wine and red meat a little too hard.

With the quality of medical care vastly improved over the past few decades, life expectancy is higher than ever and more people are now experiencing this painful, debilitating condition – simply put it is nothing to be mocked about and is a serious problem that requires the appropriate treatment, such as through Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which work to reduce the level of pain and inflammation. Examples of NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprofen, diclofenac and naproxen.

Gout causes pain and swelling to one of more joints. Although it usually strikes in the big toe, gout can attack other joints such as those in the elbows, knees, feet and ankles and those in your hands, fingers and wrists.

Symptoms of gout commonly occur at night, but can arise at any point during the day. Other symptoms include: swelling (inflammation) in and surrounding the affected joint, red, shiny skin over the affected joint and peeling, itchy and flaky skin over the affected joint as the swelling decreases.

Gout is caused by a build-up of a chemical in the blood called uric acid (urate), which is a waste product that is transmitted through the kidneys and into your urine so it can be removed from the body. The level of uric acid in your blood can increase if your kidneys are not passing uric acid fast enough or if your body produces too much uric acid.

High levels of uric acid result in the formation of tiny crystals in your tissues, commonly in and around the joints. These crystals could leak from the joint cartilage into the joint space, causing the soft lining (synovium) to react. It is this which produces the intense swelling and pain you experience. As crystals thrive at a cooler body temperature, this is why gout is more prominent in the fingers and toes.

Risk factors for the development of gout include medical problems that induce a rise in uric acid levels, such as high blood pressure (hypertension), obesity, having high lipid levels (high cholesterol) and long-term deterioration in kidney function. Other risk factors include lifestyle ones, such as diet. For example, eating too much red meat or seafood and drinking too much alcohol (especially beer) can put you at risk, whereas having psoriasis can occasionally cause your body to make too much uric acid.

Self-care techniques when a gout attack strikes are primarily aimed at preventing further attacks and relieving symptoms. When you experience an attack, it is important to rest and elevate (raise) your limb and try to avoid hitting or damaging the afflicted joint.

You should also keep the joint as cool as possible, remove any clothing actually on the joint and apply an ice pack to the area. Ice wrapped inside a towel, or even a frozen bag of peas should do the trick!

Keep the ice pack or bag of peas on the joint for about 20 minutes. The ice should not be applied directly on the skin and this procedure should not be carried out for over 20 minutes at a time due to risk of skin damage.