star has shared an update after revealing he was diagnosed with a chronic condition, saying that he doesn’t want to ‘suffer in silence any more’.
In August last year, the actor shared that he had been – a long-term condition that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints and has no cure.
The 35-year-old explained at the time that he finally received his diagnosis from doctors after , as he prepared to take on the challenge of competing on the 2023 series.
In a new update posted on Instagram, the actor gave his followers an update on his treatment, explaining that he has been ‘in and out of hospital for a while’, and might need to take medication for life to treat his condition.
Sharing a series of photos, Adam ‘Little update on my arthritis journey so far…
‘So been in and out of hospital for a while now, tried all sorts of medications and painkillers. But nothing’s really working, so time to try something new.
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 everyday 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.
‘Today I had steroid injections, which really helped ease the pain and inflammation last time, so hopefully it will do the same, until my prescription arrives for the new medication.’
Adam then explained that he’s going to be ‘trying a disease modifying drug’, which ‘I will then take (if it works) for the rest of my life or until I go into remission’.
He continued: ‘It’s been a long and hard battle and as of yet nothing has worked, but I’m hopeful! I’ve suffered just over a year with arthritis and I have to say it’s been the toughest period of my life to date.
‘I’m a firm believer of everything happening for a reason, but I don’t really have the answer to that just yet. If I’m being completely honest… I’m suffering…I don’t think I want to suffer in silence no more x.’
Adam shared four photos to go with his update, the first of which showed him sitting with his wife Caroline Thomas.
In the second image, the actor held up leaflets with information about the drugs methotrexate and sulfasalazine, both of which can be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
The third picture showed Adam sitting in a chair as he was tended to by a medical professional, while he gave the camera a thumbs up in the last image as he received medication through an intravenous injection.
Adam received a rush of support in the comments underneath his post, with TV star leaving a row of heart emojis.
His fellow Strictly competitor wrote: ‘Take care Adam – sending lots of love x,’ while comedian Eddie Kadi added: ‘❤️❤️❤️ Hero.’
In August last year, Adam spoke about how ‘tough’ the previous 12 months had been, saying that ‘some days are better than others’.
‘It’s has had a huge knock on effect for me personally, but not only that for my family too!!,’ he said at the time.
‘And I just want to say thank you to @carolinethomas23 and the kids for going on this journey with me, as I know it’s been challenging and frustrating at times but hopefully we’re on the right path now!
‘I don’t know too much about the condition yet as am still learning but,what i have done is learnt a lot about myself and the fact I’d be lost with out this lot!’
