Joint Pain: Experts Reveal Reasons for High Cases Among Nigerians

Joint Pain: Experts Reveal Reasons for High Cases Among Nigerians

Joint pain remains one of the most rapidly destructive and potentially lethal forms of ill health among Nigerians, especially of the aging ones, hence necessitating early and adequate treatments.

Epidemiological data on joint pain or arthritis are limited in Nigeria, however medical experts who appeared on recent #AskDrNaturesfield Live Talk Show believe there are identifiable patterns of occurrences, treatments, and outcomes of arthritis among the populace.

Most times, joint pain is occasioned by lifestyle, age and work type.

Speaking on the show, a fellow of the American College of Orthopedics; FMC Ortho – Consultant Arthroplasty, Orthopaedic & Trauma Surgeon – Dr. Chigo Joseph Ezeh, described joint as a place in the body where two or more bones meet to effect motion, adding that the easiest type of joints human use is the synovial joint typified by the knee.

He said that the causes of joint pain can be traced to certain structures in the body, such as the tendon, the ligaments and movements of the bones while the commonest cause in this part of the world is trauma.

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“Secondly, arthritis; which simply means the wearing of the cartilage lining the ends of the bones that form joint is subcontract. Cartilages are where it wears and tears over time”.

“Symptoms: pain is one of the cardinal signs of inflammation and there are five of them; pain, redness, swelling, heats and loss of function. A patient that has pain in the joints does not want to move the joint so there is a loss of function.

On his part, Dr Kelechi Woryi, Orthopedic Resident with National Orthopedic Hospital, said that pains around the joint is an unpleasant feeling attributed to that joint. Dwelling his discussions on knee joint pains, he said that work types usually associated with that are those that would increase activity around the joint.

“So, if you have someone whose jobs requires him or her using the knees; kneeling, standing with the hips, you have that person coming down with hip pains. You also have people that carry heavy loads on the shoulder. So, they fall on that risk part of going into shoulder or neck pains. Essentially, any activity that causes us to use the job frequency will cause pains.”

Sharing her experience while managing COVID-19 patients, Dr. Tolulope Akinnimi, a clinical researcher, said that although she hadn’t had clinical trial regarding joint pain, however, apart from the continuous use of the joints, the disuse (not using the joints at all) can actually cause pains. “Although, it is one of the least causes of joint pains among people, but when there is no movement around the joint; that is being static, it can lead to pains. So, we have to come to the point of moderate use of the joints.”

“When it comes to work related joint pain among most patients; by the time you trace the history of their work or occupation, you will discover the link between the work environment and the health issue”.

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Dr. Akinnimi added that employers, both in the private and public spaces need to be aware of the causes and growing cases of joint pain among the workers.

She also hinted that her studies so far show there is no linkage between joint pains and escalation of COVID-19 in the body, “but one thing we need to take cognizance of is that joint pains can be caused by infections. The truth is, if there is an infection in a patient, definitely the immune system goes down and he or she is exposed to all kinds of health issues.”

In her words, “human begins are just like machines that suffer wear and tear. Care needs to be taken in this kind of area, because if a patient has dysfunction in those areas, there is little or nothing they can do with the use of the joints.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Ezeh, debunked claims in some quarters that joint pains could be hereditary, stressing that there is no empirical evidence backing such claims.

Dr. Woryi therefore recommended among other things, the use of smart technologies or wearable devices to advance the prevention of joint pains. “Depending on how you view it, technology has come to stay and it has greatly improved lives. You have a smart watch or a smartphone which reminds you, ‘oh, okay you need to start this activity’ like talking a walk or the phone reminds you, you’ve taken 10,000 steps today. Accordingly, the WHO prescribes brisk exercise as helpful.”

“So, if you have a phone or a smart watch, you can always set that target for a brisk exercise. Most times, it is just 30 minutes out of the 24 hours we have in a day; apart from it helping your heart and respiratory system, it will help in joint pain management,” he said.

Nodding in agreement with the medical experts, Pharmacist Abayomi Onasanya, the head of marketing at Naturesfield, said the company has carefully developed Nature’s field Joint Renew Advanced that contains ingredients such as; MSM, Glucosamine, Hyaluronic Acid, Chondroitin, Tumeric & Chinese Skullcap for optimum joint health.

He said that Joint Renew Advance improves long term joint mobility and flexibility.

Pharm. Onasanya said, “It promotes optimum joint structure and function, nourishes the joint tissues (Cartilage), improves joint flexibility by increasing joint fluid support rebuilding of worn-out joint tissues and guarantees painless movement.”

While expatiating on prevention and management of joint pains or Osteoarthritis with Nature’s Field Joint Renew, Olajide Asaolu, the product manager, Joint Renew Advanced at Naturesfield, reiterated that Osteoarthritis (OA) or degenerative joint disease (DJD), is a progressive disorder of the joints due to gradual loss of cartilage which results in the development of bony spurs and cysts at the margins of joints.

“You need Nature’s Field Joint Renew if you are experiencing the following Osteoarthritis symptoms; Pain: Your joint hurts you during or after movement. Tenderness: Your joint may feel tender when light pressure is applied to it. Stiffness: You notice joint stiffness usually early in the morning or after a period of inactivity. Loss of flexibility: Inability to move joint through its full range of motion. Grating sensation: You are hearing and feel a grating sensation with use of your joint and Bone spurs: These extra bits of bone, which feel like hard lumps, may form around the affected joint”, Asaolu explained.