Patients with arthritis will be told by the NHS to lose weight and exercise as basic therapies for their condition according to the new clinical guidelines.
Physical activity is a better option for relieving pain caused by osteoarthritis than painkillers such as paracetamol, health officials say.
Moving millions of patients with the disease to exercise can save billions of pounds in NHS cash by reducing the number of prescriptions for stronger painkillers, according to the National Institute of Health and Care (Nice).
Starting exercise programs can make the pain worse for a while, but it should be calmed down.
More than 10 million people in the United Kingdom have arthritis. Osteoarthritis, which causes stiffness and pain in the joints, is the most common form of the disease, affecting 8.5 m.
Arthritis costs the NHS £ 10 billion a year, and 80 per cent of patients are prescribed painkillers.
Physical activity may be a better option for relieving pain than painkillers such as paracetamol, health officials say
The guidelines recommend the use of medicines, such as the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), but not paracetamol or strong opioids.
Dr Paul Crisp of Nice said: “This is because new evidence shows that there is little or no benefit to people’s quality of life, pain or psychological stress, and especially in the case of strong opioids, there is evidence that they can cause long-term harm, including possible dependence. “
Doctors’ guidelines say they can diagnose osteoarthritis on their own without further testing in people aged 45 or over who have activity-related joint pain.
Patients should also not have morning joint stiffness or morning stiffness lasting no more than 30 minutes to be diagnosed in this way.
The draft guidelines say that people can be offered specially designed exercise programs, explaining that “regular and consistent exercise, although it may initially cause discomfort, will benefit their joints.”
More than 10 million people in the United Kingdom have arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of the disease
Exercise in the long run also increases the benefits, the guidelines added.
When it comes to weight loss, people will be told that “any amount of weight loss is likely to benefit, but losing 10 percent of their body weight is likely to be better than 5 percent.”
People can also be referred for hip or knee replacement if their condition cannot be managed in other ways and the recommended recommendations should not be delayed due to age, gender or obesity.
Dr Crisp added: “Osteoarthritis can make people uncomfortable and prevent them from doing some of their normal daily activities.
“However, there is evidence to show that muscle strengthening and aerobic exercise can have an impact not only on managing the condition, but also on providing people with an improved quality of life.
“Starting this journey can be inconvenient for some people at the beginning and they need to be supported and provided with enough information to help them manage their condition for a long time.
“While topical and sometimes oral NSAIDs remain an important treatment option for osteoarthritis, we have decided not to recommend some painkillers, such as paracetamol and some opioids for osteoarthritis.”
Tracy Loftis, head of policy and public affairs at the charity Versus Arthritis, said: “We saw first hand the benefits that people with osteoarthritis can get from being able to get proper physical activity, especially when in a group setting.
“Something like exercise can improve a person’s mobility, help manage pain and reduce feelings of isolation.
“But our own study of the support provided to people with osteoarthritis showed that too many of them were not regularly examined by health professionals and even fewer were able to receive support for physical activity.
“The lack of alternatives means that in many cases people stick to painkillers that do not help them live a pain-free life.
“While we welcome the draft guidelines from Nice, health professionals need additional resources and support to better understand their role in promoting treatment as a physical activity for people with osteoarthritis.
“Obviously, people with arthritis need a bigger voice so that their health needs are not ignored.”
WHAT IS RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS? THE AGONIZING LONG-TERM DISEASE WHICH IS INADMISSIBLE
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects around 400,000 people in the United Kingdom
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects about 400,000 people in the United Kingdom and nearly 1.3 million adults in the United States.
Women are up to three times more likely to develop the disease than men. Those with a family history of rheumatoid arthritis are also more vulnerable.
It is a long-term disease in which the immune system causes the body to attack itself, causing painful, swollen and stiff joints.
RA, the second most common form of arthritis, which often begins between the ages of 40 and 50, tends to strike the hands, wrists and knees.
Scientists are currently unsure of the exact cause of RA, but smoking, eating a lot of red meat and drinking coffee are at higher risk.
A cure has not yet been found, but there are treatments that have been shown to help slow the progressive condition.
RA is a complex autoimmune condition that is diagnosed and treated by a consultant rheumatologist in secondary care and the patient is monitored regularly by a consultant-led multidisciplinary team at a hospital.
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