Rheumatoid arthritis, an auto-immune and chronic inflammatory disorder, is not only observed in adults, but children are also its victims.
According to paediatric rheumatologist Dr Suma Balan, rheumatology is not easily understood by general adults and it’s even difficult to identify among children, as they cannot express clearly. Stiffness in the hands and legs, long duration of fever and decreased eyesight are some of the symptoms. And the best way is by diagnosis.
Senior rheumatologist Dr. Rajkiran Dudam said, the disorder also affects other parts of the body such as eyes, skin, lungs and heart, while starting off as common arthritis, and timely diagnosis is crucial to prevent other organs from getting damaged. This disease starts slowly, but worsens over time, he added.
A host of renowned rheumatologists discussed the emerging trends of the disease and challenges in the discipline, at the two-day rheumatology conference held at KIMS Hospital here on Sunday.
According to doctors, the number of rheumatology specialists in the country is a challenge. While the population needs about twenty thousand doctors, the present strength is 800. And medical colleges are also without rheumatology centres.
According to Indian Rheumatology Association president Dr B. G. Dharmanand, there are more than 200 rheumatology diseases, but there has been no adequate awareness. He said the Association was planning to conduct conferences, public awareness programmes to educate the public about various misconceptions, effective treatments against rheumatology and normal post-treatment life.
Managing Director, KIMS Hospitals, B. Bhaskar Rao, professors from Sanjay Gandhi Post-graduate Institute of Medical Sciences and Post-graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, and others participated in the event.
