Eight reactive arthritis facts as Coleen Rooney enters I'm A Celebrity with illness
Coleen Rooney has confirmed she's taking part in ITV's I'm A Celebrity series this year. In an Instagram Reel, the 38-year-old wife of footballer Wayne Rooney said that she will be heading into the jungle on Sunday with former Strictly pro Oti Mabuse, McFly star Danny Jones and others.
In the video, Rooney also set rumours to rest that her reactive arthritis wouldn't stop her from taking part in the bushtucker trials.
"There’s been a lot of news saying I can’t do trials because of certain illnesses and that but I can confirm that I can do every trial so I am not excluded from any, that was just a load of rubbish," she said.
The mother of four revealed she suffers from the chronic condition in her documentary, The Real Wagatha Christie, earlier this year. She says condition flared up during the stress of the high profile trial with Rebecca Vardy.
The NHS describes the condition as causing redness and swelling or inflammation in joints such as "knees, feet, toes, hips and ankles". It’s estimated that 20 million people in the UK have arthritis or a musculoskeletal condition, according to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
As the mother-of-four is heading to Australia for this year’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, there has been lots of speculation that she could be exempt from several trials due to her health condition, which she has denied.
Here are some facts about her condition:
It’s more common in men
Though anyone at any age can get reactive arthritis, the NHS says it’s more common in men and adults aged between 20 and 40.
It affects people differently
Common symptoms of reactive arthritis include swelling, stiffness or pain in your joints such as your knees, ankles or feet. However, it can also affect some people in other ways such as causing pain while urinating or unusual discharge or causing redness or eye pain.
There’s not one standard test
Your GP might have to undertake a series of different tests to rule out infection or other conditions to determine if you have reactive arthritis. These tests can include blood and urine samples, genital swabs an ultrasound or x-ray.
It’s typically caused by an infection
Reactive arthritis is usually caused by an infection such as a sexually transited infection like chlamydia or an infection in your bowel such as from food poisoning. The NHS explains it can also happen if someone you know has had glandular fever and those with a particular gene are more likely to develop the condition, too. If you’ve recently had an infection (or suspected one) and start to have symptoms of reactive arthritis, then book to see your GP immediately. They will undertake some tests and might refer you to a specialist, a rheumatologist.
Treatments vary
Treatment for reactive arthritis will depend on how it developed. If an STI caused this condition then antibiotics will be prescribed to clear that infection, while painkillers will be prescribed to relieve the joint pain and stiffness. For ongoing arthritis, patients can also be prescribed steroids or disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).
Exercise can help symptoms
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases emphasises that a healthy dose of exercise is important for "maintaining healthy and strong muscles, preserving joint mobility, and maintaining flexibility” when living with reactive arthritis.
Symptoms may be short-lived in mild cases
The Arthritis Foundation found that most people with reactive arthritis fully recover after a few months or a year, and these mild cases wouldn’t normally interfere with daily activities or routines.
It can return
Sometimes reactive arthritis can be more long-term as the Arthritis Foundation found that between “15 and 50 percent of patients will develop symptoms again” often through the symptom chronic back or joint pain from reinfection.
Read more about Coleen Rooney:
Coleen Rooney says Wagatha trial triggered arthritis: How stress can impact health (Yahoo Life, 6-min read)
Coleen Rooney reveals Wayne had a vasectomy: What is it, and why do people get it? (Yahoo Life, 4-min read)
Coleen Rooney's ruthless reason for I'm A Celebrity stint is to 'wind up Vardy' (BirminghamLive, 2-min read)
