PT Health Watch: Why more young Nigerians are developing arthritis

Arthritis is widely perceived as a condition affecting only the elderly, but experts warn that an increasing number of young Nigerians are now being diagnosed with the disease.

While degenerative arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis, is more common in older individuals, experts say younger people are increasingly presenting with the disease due to lifestyle choices, injuries, and other medical conditions.

Ambrose Ogbue, an Orthopaedic and Traumatology surgeon with Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, confirmed this trend, stating that arthritis is becoming more common among young Nigerians compared to previous years.

Mr Ogbue attributed this rise to several factors, one of which is trauma to the joints.

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“Trauma to a joint will lead to what is called secondary osteoarthritis, which is more common in young people,” he explained.

According to the WHO, arthritis is a broad term encompassing joint pain and disease, with osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) being the most common types, characterised by inflammation, pain, and stiffness.

Infections, self-medication

Mr Ogbue further explained that injuries sustained from road accidents or sporting activities could contribute to secondary osteoarthritis by damaging the joint cartilage.

Another major cause, according to him, is joint infections.

“This will also lead to secondary osteoarthritis as this joint infection if allowed to stay longer than expected, will destroy the joint covering called the articular cartilage. Once this is destroyed, the young individual comes down with secondary osteoarthritis,” he said.

Mr Ogbue also warned that the chronic abuse of steroids like prednisolone, which many young people use to relieve body pain, is a growing concern.

He further noted that rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition that affects the joints, is another cause of arthritis in young individuals.

Misconceptions about Arthritis

Despite these concerns, many Nigerians still have misconceptions about arthritis, which can delay early diagnosis and proper treatment.

Mr Ogbue pointed out that most people assume any pain around the joints is arthritis, leading them to seek treatment from traditional instead of medical professionals.

“Most pain around the joint is perceived to be arthritis, irrespective of the level of education. Most people will want to seek help from a native doctor or a traditional bone setter. With this delay, the pathology progresses, and they tend to present late,” he said.

“This tends to affect our treatment for most Nigerians as orthopaedic surgeons. Most will end up having a complete joint replacement surgery just because of late presentation.”

Conditions common in adults

On his part, Saheed Babajide, an orthopaedic surgeon and chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), noted that while cases of arthritis in younger people are increasing, the condition remains more common in older adults because it is primarily a degenerative disease.

Mr Babajide also highlighted the misconception that arthritis only affects the elderly, stating that this belief often leads to people ignoring the condition until it becomes severe.

“Majority of Nigerians believe that it’s an old age disease. Because of this belief and the feeling that they are too young to develop it, they are less concerned about it until it becomes seriously painful with deformity and difficulty in walking,” he said.

According to him, public awareness is crucial in changing this mindset.

Role of lifestyle in arthritis

Lifestyle factors such as diet, weight, and physical activity also play a major role in the development and progression of arthritis.

Mr Babajide explained that obesity significantly increases the risk, especially for arthritis in the lower limb joints.
Some patients may just need to lose weight without medication, and the symptoms may disappear or reduce tremendously.

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“Medication or surgery without weight reduction may not solve the problems completely. This is where dietitians and other physicians join in the management as a multidisciplinary approach,” he said.

Mr Ogbue also advised Nigerians to be mindful of their diets and maintain an active lifestyle. “Just eat healthy and avoid too much weight gain to prevent this subject matter,” he said.

Early signs, prevention

Recognising the early signs of arthritis can help in seeking timely medical attention before complications arise.
Mr Ogbue mentioned that one of the earliest symptoms is mild joint pain that gradually worsens.

“Mild joint pain that one can actually bear. If nothing is done and this pain progresses, it can lead to pain that affects activities of daily living,” he said.

Another symptom, he explained, is a crackling sound in the joints.

“At intervals, when one walks, they hear a crackling sound around the affected joint. This should be checked with the orthopaedic surgeon to rule out early forms of the disease,” he said.

To prevent or effectively manage arthritis, Mr Ogbue emphasised the need for proper medical consultation and avoiding self-medication.