Why is the prevalence of rheumatism higher in women than in men?
According to data, women are at high risk of most rheumatic diseases, and the prevalence of certain types of rheumatism is even 10-20 times that of men. However, many women, especially middle-aged and elderly women, will suffer from physical discomfort. With the mentality of “forbearance is over”, missing the best treatment period, leading to irreversible serious consequences such as joint deformities and even loss of life, “I hope women can pay more attention to themselves and face the warnings that the body sends us!”
Peng Xiang said that the pathogenesis of rheumatic diseases is complex, and many have no obvious symptoms in the early stages. However, if the body has the following symptoms, it may be a “rheumatic alert” issued by the body, and it should be timely to the hospital rheumatology department for professional examination and diagnosis: physical weakness , Joint pain, low back pain, easy fall, easy fractures, difficult pregnancy, etc. At the same time, the oral ulcer often occurs, the body does not have a clear reason for continuous fever, weight loss, weight loss, etc.
“Hidden pain” may make you miss the best treatment period.
“Our female compatriots have a very high tolerance for the disease, and the rate of early treatment and early treatment of rheumatic diseases is very low.” This is the largest in Peng Xiang’s 20-year career. Touch. Compared with men, women are more able to endure hardships and stand hard work. They pay less attention to themselves, often pay attention to other family members and ignore themselves. When the body is uncomfortable and painful, many women’s choice is “tolerate it and pass it, as long as it doesn’t hurt,” for many reasons, choose to go to a pharmacy to buy some painkillers to deal with it, go to a small clinic … …
According to statistics, patients with rheumatic diseases who receive correct and standardized diagnosis and treatment account for only 25% of the population of this disease group, and the proportion of women is even lower.
Peng Xiang talked about a patient who impressed her. The woman had repeated joint pain and swelling symptoms for more than ten years, but she did not pay much attention and treatment. She only went to the hospital for treatment after affecting her activities. After a period of treatment, her condition was well controlled. Unfortunately, patients who were supposed to be persistently ignored the doctor’s repeated explanations and did not return to the clinic for follow-up treatment. One year later, the recurrence of the condition resulted in paralysis of both lower limbs, and the medicine was useless and beyond regret.
“I hope more women can give more attention and attention to themselves so that rheumatism can be diagnosed and treated early!” Peng Xiang said. With this expectation, the Department of Rheumatology of Qingyuan People’s Hospital will hold public welfare clinics for women. “Face up to the alert that the body sends to us!” She reminded.
Three female high incidence of rheumatic diseases
Pang Cheung talked about, many female prevalence rate of rheumatic diseases are much higher than men, in which three female population to the most high:
physical weakness, poor immunity women. These women are very vulnerable to the invasion of bacteria and viruses, and bacteria and viruses are the causative factors of certain rheumatic diseases, so they are much more likely to suffer from rheumatic diseases than their normal female friends.
Stressed and overworked women. Modern women “go to the hall, get to the kitchen”, do domestic chores at home, work hard outside, women face huge mental pressure, usually lack of exercise, insufficient protection of joints, and have continued to increase the prevalence of rheumatism.
Women of childbearing and menopause. During pregnancy, lactation, and menopause, the body functions and sex hormone levels of women have changed drastically, and their immune function has been reduced or even disordered. At this time, related rheumatic diseases are prone to occur.
Women more prone to suffer from a common rheumatic disease
Peng Xiang introduced, rheumatic diseases is divided into 10 major categories of nearly 200 species of disease, the pathogenesis of complex, where women are more susceptible to common rheumatic disease is far more than men. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoporosis, lupus, sjogren’s syndrome (SS), fibromyalgia syndrome, rheumatic polymyalgia (PMR), etc., are all susceptible to women Rheumatic diseases. Peng Xiang focused on the first three.
● Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic unknown etiology, mainly to inflammatory synovitis systemic disease. It is characterized by multiple joints, symmetry, and invasive arthritis of the small joints of the hands and feet, often accompanied by involvement of extra-articular organs and positive serum rheumatoid factor, which can lead to joint deformities and loss of function.
“Although rheumatoid arthritis cannot be completely cured at present, the condition is controllable, and the lowest drug dose can be used to achieve good control results as soon as regular treatment is available.” Peng Xiang said.
She said that many patients who have been treated will choose to go to a pharmacy to buy plasters, and if they can’t stand the pain, they will take painkillers and advertising pills. However, rheumatoid arthritis is not only painful, it is more of a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by chronic erosive joint inflammation. Without timely symptomatic treatment, joint deformities can occur over time. Taking analgesics for a long time can easily cause complications such as gastric bleeding and kidney injury. Even if the deformity is corrected by surgery in the later period, the joints can not restore normal functions.
“Rheumatoid arthritis has the best treatment effect within six months of onset. Conventional drugs can control the condition and the cost is low.” She suggested that patients with rheumatoid arthritis must go to regular hospitals for standardized treatment.
● Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a bone mineral density and bone quality due a variety of causes decreased bone microarchitecture destruction, causing bone fragility, thus prone to fracture systemic bone disease. Osteoporosis is divided into two categories: primary and secondary. Primary osteoporosis is divided into three types: postmenopausal osteoporosis (type Ⅰ), senile osteoporosis (type Ⅱ) and idiopathic osteoporosis (including adolescent type). Postmenopausal osteoporosis usually occurs within 5 to 10 years after menopause.
Peng Xiang said that in the Chinese diet, there are too few milk and dairy products, less calcium intake, white is the beauty, less sun exposure, and less vitamin D synthesized by the human body. These are the causative factors of osteoporosis. After menopause, the protective effect of estrogen is lost, and as the body loses calcium, the incidence of osteoporosis has increased significantly, and brittle fractures are more common.
“Especially remind middle-aged and elderly women to regularly perform bone density measurement and screening, preferably once a year,” she said.
Can middle-aged and elderly women take calcium tablets and supplement vitamin D to prevent and treat osteoporosis? Peng Xiang said that this can only offset the continued loss of bone, and there are special drugs for anti-osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is more common in postmenopausal women, but she also encountered a woman in her 40s who had had five children.
“Osteoporosis is a very serious disease, especially for patients who have had fragile fractures.” Peng Xiang reminded that severe osteoporosis can make people “glass people”, she has seen a patient , Only because her husband hugged once, broke three ribs.
In the usual grass-roots epidemiological investigation work, Peng Xiang also found that the incidence of rheumatism in Qingyuan City still showed clear regional characteristics. The incidence of gout and high uric acid was higher in urban residents. Quality is relatively prominent.
● Lupus erythematosus
Lupus erythematosus is a type of autoimmune diffuse connective tissue disease that affects multiple organs in young women. It manifests as a rash (characteristic butterfly erythema on the face and face), Raynaud’s phenomenon, joint pain, heart, brain, and kidney involvement, and blood cells. Reduce the severity of different symptoms.
Lupus that simply affects the skin is named cutaneous lupus erythematosus. If it involves internal organs, it is called systemic lupus erythematosus, which can cause lupus nephritis, leading to edema, renal failure, and uremia. According to Peng Xiang, hospital biopsy showed that in systemic lupus erythematosus, 100% of patients will have different degrees of kidney damage.
Systemic lupus erythematosus can also cause severe complications such as lupus pneumonia, lupus encephalitis, and lupus blood system damage. Failure to treat it in time can endanger life and safety.
Qingyuan City People’s Hospital has received a case. The patient with lupus pneumonia was worried about possible side effects of the treatment drug, worried about hormones causing weight gain, and feared that the drug would harm fertility, although doctors repeatedly explained that drug treatment is for Save patients’ lives, while the incidence of side effects is very low and will be used under close monitoring, measuring the pros and cons will lead to serious consequences if not used. Unfortunately, the patient’s and his family’s hesitation prolonged his illness and he missed the best time for treatment. The patient developed hemorrhagic alveolitis and died of massive hemoptysis.
Because the disease is more common in young women, many people have concerns about fertility. “Lupus erythematosus itself can lead to stillbirth and miscarriage. Pregnancy also aggravates lupus activity. The risk of drugs affecting fertility is not high, but patients are still very worried.” Peng Xiang said that in the past many patients with lupus erythematosus were unmarried and infertile throughout their lives, but medicine has developed rapidly and there are many treatments. If they are detected and treated in time, patients with lupus erythematosus can also conceive and give birth normally under the supervision of a doctor. She hopes that when suffering from such diseases, women can pay more attention to and recognize the value of themselves and receive timely treatment.
Peng Xiang introduced that early lupus erythematosus is very concealed, and the lightest type of lupus erythematosus does not even have any symptoms. Prevention is mainly based on its pathogenic factors. Studies have shown that the onset of lupus erythematosus is related to chemicals and has a genetic effect. It is recommended that women who work in chemical plants and plastic plants should be particularly vigilant.
These signals may be introduced by the body’s “rheumatic alert”
Peng Xiang. The pathogenesis of rheumatic diseases is complex and many have no obvious symptoms in the early stages. However, if the body has the following symptoms, it may be the “rheumatic alert” issued by the body. Should go to the hospital’s rheumatology department for professional examination and diagnosis in time: physical weakness, joint pain, low back pain, easy fall, easy fracture, difficulty in pregnancy, etc. At the same time, regular oral ulcers, continuous fever without weight, body weight loss, Weight loss etc.
“A lot of people have uncomfortable joints and only look at orthopedics, traditional Chinese medicine, etc. They don’t understand rheumatology, which also easily delays their illness.” Peng Xiang said.
For the prevention of rheumatic diseases, she recommends maintaining a good physical and mental state, enhancing autoimmunity and resistance, reducing the invasion of microorganisms; sun exposure and vitamin D supplementation (15-30 minutes per day), and drinking milk such as milk or yogurt Calcium supplements. At the same time, do a good job of protecting chemicals, pesticides, etc., to avoid disease factors.
