IMA senior leader and rheumatologist Dr. B.N. Rao on Sunday said that at least three per cent of women were suffering from rheumatoid arthritis in the district and added that a comprehensive survey should be done to identify the reasons for the high incidence of the disease. Talking to newsmen here on Sunday, he said that rheumatoid arthritis was also affecting one per cent of men folk in the district. People in the age group of 30 to 50 years were worst affected, he said and stressed on the need for launching massive awareness programmes on the disease and its early treatment with modern medication. He said that the rheumatoid arthritis usually begins with joint pain in the morning and slowly declines after resuming various works. He said arthritis would gradually affect lungs, heart, skin and eyes with signs of fever and loss of weight and appetite.
