Adam Thomas of Strictly Come Dancing has revealed the steps he is taking to keep his rheumatoid arthritis ‘under control’ in his latest health update.
On Monday, the Emmerdale actor, 35, who recently disclosed he had been diagnosed with the chronic ailment, posted a photo of himself getting a blood test on his Instagram Stories.
Adam captioned the photo, ‘One day I’ll get my arthritis under control…’ while smiling as he was treated by doctors.But, until then, further blood tests and physicians are required. ‘I’m staying strong.’
It comes after Adam, who appears on the BBC show with Luba Mushtuk, revealed his autoimmune illness has impacted his mobility.
He shared: ‘A couple of weeks ago, I couldn’t really walk, I couldn’t really do much.’
Adam also said he was taking ‘really strong medication’ and that while it had been ‘tough’, he was ‘on the road to recovery.’
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According to the NHS, rheumatoid arthritis is a ‘long-term condition that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints’ with the main affected areas being the hands, feet and wrists.’
Adam revealed in August that he had been diagnosed with the chronic ailment, stating that the dancing programme couldn’t have come at a better time for him.
The actor revealed that he had been in pain for eight months before receiving the diagnosis following a back-and-forth with physicians.
Adam acknowledged that he was still learning about the sickness, but he praised his family – wife of six years Caroline Daly, and children Teddy and Elsie-Rose – for their love and support.
The actor from Waterloo Road later went into much more depth on how arthritis has affected his training, as well as the activity that helps him manage his symptoms.
On Instagram, he wrote: ‘I’m still struggling and the pain is still there but I’m putting on a brave face.
He continued: ‘Swimming helps me so much with my arthritis. I mean, as much as it kills me getting my top off and going for a swim, I know it’s helping me.’
‘I know it’s also helping me deal with the issues I’ve got with me and my body. Which is a good thing,’ he concluded his statement.
Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 6.20pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
What is rheumatoid arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term condition that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints. The condition usually affects the hands, feet and wrists.
Sometimes symptoms can ‘flare up’ and become worse, which can be difficult to predict.
With treatment it’s possible to decrease how much this happens and minimise or prevent long-term damage to the joints.
Other more general symptoms include tiredness and weight loss.
Diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis early on is important, as early treatment can help reduce the risk of joint damage.
It is an autoimmune disease, which means your immune system mistakenly attacks cells which line your joints, leading to pain, swelling and stiffness.
Over time it can affect not only joints and cartilage, but also bone.
While there is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, early diagnosis and treatments can allow sufferers months or even years between flare-ups.
Medicine, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy help keep people mobile, and surgery may be required to help any joint problems that may develop.
Depending on the severity of your arthritis, people may be forced to adapt how they do every day tasks.
Complications include the potential of rheumatoid arthritis to lead to other conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, inflammation of other parts of the body (eyes, lungs, heart), and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
