Beware! Rheumatoid arthritis is prone to relapse in spring

Spring is a high-risk season for the onset or recurrence of rheumatoid arthritis. Spring is the time of the year when the weather changes the most, with sudden changes from warm to cold and from cold to warm. Wind is the root of all diseases. When rheumatoid arthritis patients are invaded by wind evil, their condition is likely to worsen, and people with a tendency to develop rheumatoid arthritis may suddenly develop the disease at this time.

What is rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic progressive systemic autoimmune disease that mainly affects the synovium, cartilage and bone of the joints. If it is not treated regularly and in a timely manner, it can easily lead to joint damage and deformity. According to relevant data analysis, there are currently about 5 million RA patients in my country, with an average age of onset of 45 years old, and a male-to-female ratio of about 1:4.

Clinical manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis

1. Morning stiffness

The joints feel sticky in the morning and are subjectively stiff or inflexible when you get up in the morning. The symptoms will be relieved or disappear after you get up and move around for a while. They may also be accompanied by cold or numb limbs, which may last for more than 30 minutes.

2. Often symmetrical, multi-articular lesions

Small joints such as the wrist, metacarpophalangeal joints, and proximal interphalangeal joints are mainly affected, while large joints mainly involve the knee joints.

3. Joint swelling and pain

Joint pain is also a symptom of all rheumatoid patients. The degree of joint pain is often related to the severity of joint swelling. It may start as joint soreness, and as the swelling becomes more obvious, the pain becomes more severe.

4. Joint swelling and pain

The degree of limitation is related to the swelling, pain, and damage to the joints and surrounding structures; varying degrees of deformity may occur in the late stages.

5. Extra-articular manifestations

Fever may occur, mostly low-grade; some patients develop rheumatoid nodules, vasculitis, pericardial effusion, etc.

How to treat rheumatoid arthritis in spring

1. Keep warm and prevent infection

In early spring, the temperature is low in the morning and evening. Arthritis patients should go to bed early and get up late, and try not to touch cold water to prevent hands and feet from getting frozen. Drink more boiled water to increase metabolism.

2. Diet adjustment and balanced nutrition

Arthritis patients should pay special attention to two points in their diet:

The first is to develop healthy eating habits, ensure that you consume enough calories every day, and pay attention to controlling fat intake.

The second is to supplement nutrition appropriately. It is advisable to eat high-protein, high-calorie, easily digestible foods, especially protein-rich foods such as eggs, lean meat, and soy products. You can also eat more vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C.

In addition, patients should follow the principle of light diet and avoid spicy and irritating foods. Those with long-term gastrointestinal discomfort should eat less raw, cold, and hard foods.

3. Take proper supplements to enhance your physical fitness

Supplements for arthritis patients include: grains and beans such as japonica rice, indica rice, corn, wheat, soybeans, and peas; vegetables such as leeks, coriander, garlic, radish, and day lily; meats such as mutton, dog meat, beef, chicken, and eels, carp, silver carp, hairtail, and shrimp; and fruits such as oranges, coconuts, pineapples, lychees, and longans. In addition, they should also exercise moderately.

4. Self-prevention

Keep your feet warm: Pay attention to keeping your joints and feet warm. If you catch a cold, soak your feet in hot water to increase blood circulation in your joints.

Carry medications: In order to avoid sudden attacks of old diseases, it is necessary to prepare daily medications.

Dietary supplements: Eating some tonic foods appropriately can enhance the body's resistance, such as pig's trotters stewed with sea breeze vine, papaya and egg wine, which can dispel wind, dredge meridians, eliminate dampness and relieve pain.