OUH staff spread the word on rheumatoid arthritis
18/06/2019
This article is more than four years old.
Staff from the rheumatology department at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre (NOC) are this week raising awareness of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a common but little-known disease.
Unlike 'wear and tear' osteoarthritis, RA is an autoimmune disease where the body's natural defences cause inflammation and damage to the joints.
Consultants, doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have contributed to an information stand at the hospital as part of Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Week (17-23 June 2019), organised by charity National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society.
Organiser Alex Whittenbury, Biologics and Specialist Rheumatology Pathway Administrator at the Trust, said: "The theme for this year's awareness week is #AnyoneAnyAge as RA can strike at any age from 16-years-old and up.
"Currently 400,000 people across the UK have the condition.
"Early diagnosis is essential for the best outcome, and patients should be aware of joint stiffness and swelling, in addition to pain when squeezing joints.
"Anyone experiencing such symptoms should book an urgent GP appointment, as doctors say they should be treated as a medical emergency. Although there is no cure, RA can generally be controlled by modern drug treatments."
RA is an inflammatory arthritis where the body's immune system goes into overdrive, attacking and inflaming the linings of the joints. It cannot be cured but there are a variety of successful treatments available which damp down the immune system and reduce inflammation.
The public and Trust staff can find out more details at the information stall in the main atrium, outside the Outpatients Department at the NOC until Sunday 23 June 2019.