Taking Treatment For Arthritis. Getting Severe Pain All Over Body. Any Advice?

Posted on Fri, 15 Feb 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 Answered on

Sat, 9 Mar 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : Our elder son XXXXXXX, DOB 01/09/2002 born in India, recently diagnosed by Arthritis and undergoing treatment by Dr. XXXXXXX Munro of Royal Children Hospital, Melbourne , Australia for the last couple of months. He is still in pain all the time all over his body which migrates from one part to other, sometimes itchy eyes as well. The graph of the pain is going high day by day. He goes for swimming once or twice in a week.
Dr. please advice us....

Answered by Dr. Parshant Aggarwal (13 hours later)

Thanks for your query. From the details you have given, I would agree with the diagnosis your doctor has made and with the line of treatment. Methotrexate acts as a disease-modifying drug (medicine that works on the basic disease process & controls the disease activity) and is a very good medicine. However, it is a slow acting drug and takes time for showing results.

I can understand your anxiety. Disease in a child can be quite disturbing for the entire family. However if you maintain a positive outlook it will not only help you but also in supporting your son to cope with arthritis.
Try to be patient and I am sure your son will start showing improvement.

As regards itchy eyes, consult an ophthalmologist because sometimes, juvenile idiopathic arthritis can be associated with uveitis (inflammation of eyes).

Regards Dr Parshant

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E