Arthritis is the inflammation of joints and greatly diminishes normal physical activity which can affect people of any age, experts said at an awareness program organised at the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital to mark the World Arthritis Day on Tuesday.
There are more than 100 types of arthritis and they are not contagious, but early treatment could help the affected person recover, Prof. Pradeepta Kishore Patro, Head of department of Immunology and Rheumatology in the hospital, told a congregation of more than 60 patients.
Rheumatology was a new discipline which had evolved over the last few years and specifically dealt with arthritis, he said adding women constituted the major chunk of patients suffering from the disease.
Prof. Gangadhar Sahu, Dean of IMS and SUM Hospital, said a sedentary lifestyle was responsible for most of the diseases people were afflicted within the modern world and it was necessary for people to keep engaged. “It is a good thing to be engaged in hobbies like gardening,” he said.
The basic idea was to ensure that your joints were kept functional so that decay doesn’t set in, he said.
Prof. Pusparaj Samantasinhar, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, said that the hospital had a full-fledged department of Immunology and Rheumatology, an emerging area of medical science, where patients suffering from arthritis could get all necessary treatment under a single roof.
Ms Pushpanjali Mishra, Head of department of Nutrition and Dietetics and Ms Pratibha Mohanty, Physiotherapist, also spoke to the patients who attended the program.
Free examination and consultation was extended to the patients on the occasion.