Rheumatoid Arthritis

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS OVERVIEW

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that can affect more than just your joints. In some people, the condition can damage a wide variety of body systems, including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart and blood vessels.. Rheumatoid arthritis can happen in any joint; however, it is more common in the wrists, hands, and feet. The symptoms often happen on both sides of the body, in a symmetrical pattern. For example, if you have RA in the right hand, you may also have it in the left hand.

RA affects people differently. In some people, RA starts with mild or moderate inflammation affecting just a few joints. However, if it is not treated or the treatments are not working, RA can worsen and affect more joints. This can lead to more damage and disability.

At times, RA symptoms worsen in “flares” due to a trigger such as stress, environmental factors (such as cigarette smoke or viral infections), too much activity, or suddenly stopping medications. In some cases, there may be no clear cause.

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS CAUSES

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. Normally, your immune system helps protect your body from infection and disease. In rheumatoid arthritis, your immune system attacks healthy tissue in your joints. It can also cause medical problems with your heart, lungs, nerves, eyes and skin.

Doctors don't know what starts this process, although a genetic component appears likely. While your genes don't actually cause rheumatoid arthritis, they can make you more likely to react to environmental factors — such as infection with certain viruses and bacteria — that may trigger the disease.

Can occurs when the immune system, which normally helps protect the body from infection and disease, attacks its own tissues.

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS SYMPTOMS

• Loss of appetite.
• Occasional low-grade fever.
• Joint pain at rest and when moving, along with tenderness, swelling, and warmth of the joint.
• Fatigue – feeling unusually tired or having low energy.

ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS 

About 40% of people who have rheumatoid arthritis also experience signs and symptoms that don't involve the joints. Areas that may be affected include:

• Skin
• Eyes
• Lungs
• Heart
• Kidneys
• Salivary glands
• Nerve tissue
• Bone marrow
• Blood vessels

Joint stiffness that lasts longer than 30 minutes, typically after waking in the morning or after resting for a long period of time.
Joint swelling that may interfere with daily activities, such as difficulty making a fist, combing hair, buttoning clothes, or bending knees.

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS FACTORS

Factors that may increase your risk of rheumatoid arthritis include:

• Gender : Females are more likely than Males to develop rheumatoid arthritis.
• Age. Rheumatoid arthritis is most common in middle age, but can occur at any age.
• Geneology History. Possibilities of Rheumatoid arthritis is higher if memeber in the family suffer or up in the family treat some history of Rheumatoid arthritis.
• Life Styles : Smokers have higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, nainly when genetic predisposition for developing the disease.
• Obesity : Over weight persons are at a higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS TREATMENTS

The goal of treatment is to control the disease so it is in remission or near remission, with no signs or symptoms of the disease.