14-15% of people in India suffer from arthiritis: experts

KANPUR: Arthritis, a musculoskeletal disorder, is tightening its grip in developing countries like India, informed experts during a seminar organised by Indian Medical Association (IMA), Kanpur chapter, here on Sunday. The doctors claimed that several studies in the past have suggested that arthritis affects 14-15% of the total Indian population, which is much higher than the prevalence of diabetes and other chronic disorders.
Dr Uma Kumar, professor in rheumatology department, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, discussed about the fast growing musculoskeletal disorder. She said that the increasing life expectancy and changing lifestyle of generation X has tremendously contributed in rise in rheumatological diseases.
“Diseases like arthritis affect all ages and the physical disability is an enormous burden on individuals and society. Lack of exercise and physical activities among youth has led to an increase in young arthritis patients. Arthritis affects 14-15% of the total Indian population, which is much higher than the prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease and cancer,” she said.
Dr Uma said that late detection of the disease further worsens the problem
making it difficult to treat it. The disease can be effectively prevented and controlled in many situations, she said. Unawareness about arthritis among patients and delay in diagnosis and treatment cause irreversible joint damage, deformities, disability and visceral organ dysfunction, she informed.
“General perception among people is that arthritis is related to bone diseases and patients go to orthopaedic surgeon for treatment resulting in improper management. People take pain killers and steroids which have significant toxicity and create complications before they reach rheumatologist,” Dr Uma said.