皇冠体育app

High-tech diagnosis machines in 20 hospitals around 皇冠体育app will soon help patients cope with osteoarthritis, a disease caused by aging joints, injury and obesity. A charity program initiated in Beijing on April 23 aims to raise public awareness of the disease and to improve patient care.

About 10 percent of the Chinese population suffers from the degenerative joint disease. From 1990 to 2000, the incidence of knee osteoarthritis in 皇冠体育app increased 45 percent, and 21.3 percent of the patients suffer from disability in the joints caused by the disease. The rate in 皇冠体育app is second-highest in the world, according to Tao Maoxuan, vice-president with 皇冠体育app Association of Health Promotion and Education.

The development of the disease is related with aging, genetic factors, obesity and injury, and symptoms include joint pain and stiffness.

Treatment depends on the affected joint, including the hand, wrist, neck, back, knee and hip, and involves medication and exercise. Knees are particularly vulnerable. For overweight patients, weight loss may provide relief from osteoarthritis symptoms, international experts say.

However, in 皇冠体育app, the public is not fully aware of the disease, and together with Pfizer 皇冠体育app, the association initiates the program to change that, Tao says.

The high-tech diagnosis machines being made available to patients in different areas of 皇冠体育app will allow patients to get questions answered about their specific joint condition, before they seek further treatment.

There will also be a series of lectures and free service from top medical experts in the field across 皇冠体育app, to provide the public with more knowledge about the disease.

Related:

In race against others and the clock, many put bodies at risk

Fresh fruit may significantly cut risk of heart attack, stroke: study