A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BY MEDIAPLANET
Bones & Joints
Sonja Winkelmann, Director, Net Zero Energy Housing
with Eileen Davidson How old were you when you were first diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis? I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at the age of 29, but I had been experiencing chronic pain in my hands and feet since the age of 24. After the birth of my son at 26, I noticed a major spike in pain along with swelling, fatigue, and intense
Read more at healthinsight.ca
that arthritis is just joint pain and that it only impacts the elderly, but that’s far from the truth. RA is a serious autoimmune disease that can also impact the young.
How has RA affected your personal life? Chronic illness is a full-time job to live with and doesn’t come with days off or vacations. RA has made an impact on many areas of my personal life — including being a mom, dating, working, socializing, and self-care. Everything I do, RA joins me along the way. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle by exercising, eating well, and getting regular treatments help me navigate life with RA.
depression. Everyday activities like work and self-care started to become painful and exhausting. I couldn’t function.
How do you help raise awareness for RA? I’m a regular writer at CreakyJoints and on my blog Chronic Eileen. I’m also an ambassador for the Arthritis Society and a member of the Arthritis Research Canada Patient Advisory Board.
What have you learned about living with RA during the pandemic? The pandemic has shown just how important RA awareness is. Many people think
If you could give one message to arthritis patients in Canada, what would it be? Don’t let arthritis bring you down and defeat you. You’re more than your arthritis.
Take Your Joint Pain Seriously
D
o you feel aches and pains in your j oi nt s? T he s e could be signs of osteoarthritis (OA). “Osteoarthritis starts earlier than you’d think,” says Trish Barbato, President and Trish Barbato CEO of the Arthritis Society. President & CEO, In fact, one in three Canadians Arthritis Society living with OA are diagnosed before the age of 45. “It’s a misconception that arthritis is an old person’s disease,” says Barbato. “What’s more, younger adults report that the disease has a substantial impact on their lives — affecting their ability to work and participate in social activities during an
often-critical time for career and family.” OA is a progressive disease that leads to the breakdown of joint cartilage and the underlying bone, and is a result of the body’s failed attempt to repair damaged joint tissues. It’s the most common form of arthritis. A new study from the Arthritis Community Research Evaluation Unit commissioned by the Arthritis Society reveals nearly one third of younger adults with OA live with severe and frequent joint pain, and also report worse mental health and fatigue than older adults with OA.
Signs of osteoarthritis to watch for It’s important to recognize early signs of the disease, because if arthritis does strike, there are things you can do to help manage it.
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s time to act and to talk to your healthcare professional. Occasional and intermittent pain or aching Morning stiffness lasting less than 30 minutes Reduced range of movement Creaking and/or swelling in your joints
Take your joint pain seriously and learn more at arthritis.ca.
Publisher: Karim Jooma Business Development Manager: Julia Colavecchia Country Manager: Nina Theodorlis Content and Production Manager: Raymond Fan Designer: Lauren Livingston Web Editor: Karthik Talwar All images are from Getty Images unless otherwise credited. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve Best Health or its editorial departments. Send all inquiries to ca.editorial@mediaplanet.com.
@MediaplanetCA
facebook.com/HealthInsightCA
Please recycle
Read more at healthinsight.ca | 2
A SPECIAL INTEREST SECTION BY MEDIAPLANET
2
EVALUATE YOUR CURRENT WELL-BEING
Always remember to tell your rheumatologist how you’re feeling. It’s OK to say if you’re not doing well, but it’s just as important to let them know if you’re doing well or better than before.
3
EVALUATE YOUR CURRENT TREATMENT REGIMEN
Evaluate how you’re feeling about your current treatment regimen. It’s as important to share if your medication is helping you as it is to share concerns.
Your Voice Can Be a Powerful Force Against RA Talking Over RA means taking control. Rheumatoid arthritis (R A) is about more than pain. Even when you’re not experiencing symptoms, you might be wondering when another flare-up will happen. Now is your opportunity to help drown out RA with your own voice and with your doctor. It’s time to come up with a plan to help you reach your treatment goals. It’s time to make your voice heard.
tips to help you have a more meaningful conversation with your rheumatologist
1
BE SPECIFIC ABOUT YOUR GOALS
Start by thinking about the ways that RA impacts your life and the specific dayto-day challenges that you face. What do you most want to be able to do?
4
DOCUMENT YOUR SYMPTOMS
How you feel on the day of your appointment may not reflect how you felt at other times since your last visit.
5
ASK QUESTIONS
If there’s something you don’t understand or if there’s information you need, don’t be shy about asking.
Download a free discussion guide to help you get the conversation started with your rheumatologist at TalkOverRA.ca.
This article was supported by a researchbased biopharmaceutical company.
Knee Health: Helping Curb the Osteoarthritis Epidemic in Canada
A
round 500,000 youth in Canada injure their knees while playing sports each year. Of those people, 50 percent will develop osteoarthritis (OA) within 10 years. Of course, not all people develop osteoarthritis because of a sports injury. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint condition characterized by the breakdown of cartilage, most often in larger joints like the knee and hip. Contrary to popular belief, OA is not a natural consequence of aging and despite an incredible amount of research, scientists do not yet know its exact cause. Osteoarthritis prevention is key Arthritis Research Canada, a leading
clinical arthritis research organization in North America, is testing unique ways to prevent joint injuries from escalating to osteoarthritis. The research organization’s ‘Stop OsteoARthritis’ (SOAR) program is designed to assist people with a previous knee injury. The virtual program aims to help people reduce their risk of developing knee osteoarthritis after they have been discharged from care for that initial injury. Hindsight is 20/20 “In my clinical practice as a physiotherapist, I can’t tell you the number of times people have asked, ‘Why didn’t someone tell me 20 or 30 years ago that my injury could lead to this disease or explain that I could do
something to prevent it?’,” says Dr. Jackie Whittaker, Research Scientist, Arthritis Research Canada. SOAR consists of education, a homebased exercise and physical activity program with tracking, and one-on-one physiotherapy counselling.
Dr. Jackie Whittaker Research Scientist, Arthritis Research Canada
Arthritis Research Canada does arthritis research like no one else. To learn more about the prevention of osteoarthritis, visit arthritisresearch.ca.