Don’t Waste Time: Treat Your Arthritis Early

Arthritis is a condition which causes pain and inflammation of body joints. Dr Michael Mukasa, an orthopaedic surgeon at Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services in Uganda (CoRSU), says old age, genetic predisposition, accidents and trauma in the joints put you at risk of arthritis.

Early treatment of arthritis prevents further damage of the joints. “Avoid forceful stretching of the joints because ligament structures around the joints get microscopic tearing which may later cause pain in the joints,” says Dr Mukasa. Regular health visits for borne density tests save you the costs involved in treating the disease in the late stage.

Jamiru Mpiima, a nutritionist at Family Nutritionist at Victoria University Wellness Centre, says, “There is no specific diet for arthritis patients but the patient needs to take a lot of foods containing anti-oxidants such as minerals and vitamins such as E, D and C. Plenty of fluids will help reduce friction between joints but he also advises arthritis patients to maintain a normal weight and control weight gain. Proper diet with enough calcium and Vitamin D, low salt, sugar and fat combined with proper and regular exercise to maintain healthy muscles and keep joints strong. Too much weight adds pressure on the hip and knee joints which may cause pain and inflammation hence increasing the risk of arthritis.