Imagine, your ears suddenly become red and painful. Or your nose, knees, and joints swell and become painful. Does this kind of thing go away after a few days and then come back again? This is not just another thing. This could be a symptom of a rare but concerning condition called Relapsing Polychondritis . Let's talk about this today.
What is this Relapsing Polychondritis (RP)?
Simply put, Relapsing Polychondritis (RP) is a rare disease that causes inflammation of cartilage and other tissues in our bodies. Cartilage is a strong but flexible tissue, like the bones in our ears, nose, and joints.
Now, what is this inflammation ? Imagine that when something like a virus or bacteria enters our body, our body's immune system starts to fight against it. Then, the area where that fight takes place becomes red, swollen, hot, and painful. That's what we call inflammation. In RP, this kind of inflammation occurs in areas where there is cartilage.
The pain in this disease usually comes on suddenly. Although it can affect both men and women, and at any age, it is most common in people between the ages of 40 and 60.
RP does not affect everyone the same.
- For some: This is a very mild condition, and the symptoms go away on their own within a few days.
- For others: This condition occurs frequently and causes extreme pain .
This disease can affect major organs like the heart and lungs, and can sometimes be life-threatening. Therefore, it is very important to be aware of this.
What are the symptoms of this disease?
RP mainly affects the cartilage in our ears, nose, and joints. But it can also affect other parts of our body, such as the ribs, spine , and trachea . In fact, it can affect any part of our body that has cartilage-like tissue, including the eyes, heart, skin, kidneys, blood vessels , and even the nervous system.
Let's see what are the common symptoms.
| Affected body part | Visible features |
|---|---|
| Ears | The outer part of the ear (earlobe) suddenly becomes red, swollen, and painful. |
| Nose | Damage to the nasal cartilage, causing the bridge of the nose to sink (saddle nose). Soreness and swelling of the nose. |
| Eyes | Eye redness, pain, swelling, and vision problems. |
| Joints | Swelling and pain in joints such as the hands, fingers, shoulders, elbows, knees, and ankles. This can occur with or without arthritis. |
| Throat & Windpipe | Difficulty breathing, difficulty speaking, difficulty swallowing, coughing, and pain in the throat/neck area. |
| Ribs & Chest | Severe pain at the junction of the ribs and in the breastbone. |
| Skin | Various skin rashes. |
In addition, people with this disease may also have other inflammatory conditions, such as vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels) or ankylosing spondylitis, or other autoimmune diseases, such as lupus.
The most important thing is, if you have one or more of these symptoms, especially if they come and go, then reappear, don't waste time and see a doctor.
What is the reason for this?
In fact, doctors still don't know the exact cause of RP. Some scientists believe that a certain gene may increase the risk of developing the disease, but it is not a hereditary disease.
This is considered an autoimmune disorder .
What does it mean? Simply put, the immune system, which is supposed to protect our bodies from disease, mistakenly starts attacking our own healthy cartilage tissue. It's like our own army attacking our own country. There is also a theory that this condition can be exacerbated by stress or certain things in the environment.
How does a doctor find this?
There is no specific test for RP. Your doctor will first examine you and ask about your symptoms. They may do blood tests to check for inflammation in your body. They may also do X-rays to look for areas that are affected.
To diagnose the disease definitively, a doctor will look for three or more of the following symptoms:
| Factors to consider for diagnosis |
|---|
| Inflammation of the cartilage of both ears. |
| Inflammation of the nasal cartilage. |
| Inflammation of the cartilage of the airway. |
| Arthritis in five or more joints at the same time. |
| Hearing or balance problems (dizziness, hearing loss). |
| Eye inflammation (e.g. conjunctivitis, scleritis). |
In some cases, the doctor may decide to take a small piece of tissue from the affected area and examine it under a microscope to confirm the diagnosis. We call this a biopsy .
Depending on how the disease affects you, you may be referred to a specialist. For example, a rheumatologist, a cardiologist, or a pain management specialist.
What are the treatments for this?
There is no cure for RP yet. However, your doctor can help reduce your pain, manage your symptoms, and minimize damage to your cartilage. Treatment options vary depending on the severity of the condition.
- Painkillers: For those with less severe disease, general painkillers (anti-inflammatories) are given to control pain.
- Steroids: Steroids, such as prednisone, are given to control inflammation.
- Immune-suppressing medications: If the disease is severe, you may need to be given strong medications that slow down your immune system.
- Surgery: In very severe cases, surgery may be necessary, such as to repair a damaged heart valve or to insert a breathing tube for breathing difficulties.
Very important: Do not use any of these medications without consulting your doctor. Depending on the nature of your illness, only your doctor can determine the most appropriate treatment and dosage for you.
How will life go forward with this disease?
The long-term outcome of RP varies from person to person. The disease can become more severe over time. Vision and hearing loss, heart and lung disease, and balance problems are common in the later stages of the disease.
Although it can be fatal in severe cases, don't worry. With advances in medical science over the past few years, the survival rate for these patients has increased significantly. With proper medical treatment and advice, many people live successfully with this disease.
Take-Home Message
- Relapsing Polychondritis (RP) is a rare autoimmune disease that attacks the body's cartilage.
- The main symptoms are sudden pain, redness , and swelling in the ears, nose, or joints.
- These symptoms may subside after a while and then reappear (relapsing).
- There is no specific test to detect this, and the diagnosis is based on several symptoms.
- Although the disease cannot be completely cured, with proper treatment, symptoms can be controlled and a normal life can be led.
- If you have symptoms like these, it is very important to see a doctor immediately and seek advice .
Relapsing Polychondritis, Cartilage Disease, Joint Pain, Earache, Noseache, Autoimmune, Immune System
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