What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis
What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a type of (continuous) chronic arthritis that occurs in the joints on both sides of the body (such as hands, wrists or knees). This symmetry helps to differentiate other types of arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis.
In addition to affect the joints, rheumatoid arthritis may occasionally affect the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, blood, nerves or the kidneys.
What are the rheumatoid arthritis symptoms ?
- Joint pain
- Swelling of joints
- Rigidity - especially in the morning or after sitting for long periods of time
- Fatigue - better defined as fatigue and excessive sleepiness
How does rheumatoid arthritis affect the people ?
Rheumatoid arthritis affects everyone differently. In the majority of the people, the symptoms of the joints can develop gradually over several years. In other people, rheumatoid arthritis can progress quickly. Other people may have rheumatoid arthritis for a limited period of time and then go into remission (a period without symptoms).
Who does rheumatoid arthritis affect?
Rheumatoid arthritis affects more than 1% of the population of the United States. It is three times more common in women than in men. It tends to happen to people between 20 to 50 years of age; Even so, young children and elderly people can also develop rheumatoid arthritis.
What causes rheumatoid arthritis ?
The exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown. Even so, it is believed that the cause is a combination of geneaticos, environmental and hormonal factors.
Normally, the immune system protects the body from infection. With rheumatoid arthritis, there is something that causes the immune system to attack the joints and sometimes to organs. Some theories suggest that a virus or a bacterium can alter the immune system, making that you attack the joints. Some people have a genetic or hereditary factor that makes them more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis
What are the results of the inflammation of the joints ?
Once the immune system is triggered, the cells migrate from the blood to joints and produce substances that cause inflammation.
Cells and inflammatory substances increased number of joints and cause:
- Irritation/disorder
- Wear of the cartilage (pads at the ends of the bone)
- Swelling of the lining of the joint (synovium)
- Production of fluid in the lining of the joints (synovial fluid)
- As the cartilage wears away, the space between the bones narrows. If the condition worsens, the bones can rub against each other just like what you see with osteoarthritis (degeneration) in older people.
Grows the lining of the joints, it can invade or erode the bone, resulting in irreversible damage to the bone. All of these factors cause that joint is painful, tender, swollen, and hot to the touch.
How is rheumatoid arthritis diagnosed ?
The diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is based on a number of factors including:
The specific location and the symmetry of the painful joints
The presence of stiff joints to morning
Packages/nodules under the skin (Rheumatoid nodules)
The test results of the x-ray suggested that there is rheumatoid arthritis
The positive results of a blood test called rheumatoid factor
Approximately 70% of the people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis has antibody rheumatoid factor in the blood. Rheumatoid factor may be present in 5% of the people who does not suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. Other diseases can also cause occurring of rheumatoid factor in the blood. Sometimes called the CCP antibody test can help determine if it is present or not antibody rheumatoid factor and if another disease is due to rheumatoid arthritis or any. Therefore the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is based on the combination of several factors and not just the presence of rheumatoid factor in the blood.
How is rheumatoid arthritis ?
There are many different ways to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Treatments include medications, rest and exercise, occupational therapy/physical therapy, and surgery to correct the damage to the joint.
The type of treatment is prescribed will depend on several factors including the age of the person, their State of health, your medical history and the severity of the arthritis.
Drugs
There are many medications available to lessen the pain of joints, the swelling and inflammation, and hopefully to prevent or minimise the progression of the disease. These medications include:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (English acronyms are NSAIDs - such as aspirin, stupes or naproxen)
- Corticosteroids (oral and injectable forms)
- COX-2 inhibitors (celecoxib)
- Antirheumatic drugs that modify disease (DMARDS * for its acronym in English) as the hydroxicloroquina
- Biological agents (such as infliximab, etanercept, adalimumab, anakinra, rituxamab, abatacept, certolizumab and golimumab)
Some of these medications are traditionally used to treat other conditions such as cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, malaria, and organ transplants. When these medications are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, dosages tend to be considerably lower and the risk of side effects tend to be considerably smaller than the when these medications are used to treat cancer or other diseases.
When it will prescribe you cu alquier medication, it is important to go to see your doctor regularly so that he or she can detect any side effects development.
Rest and exercise
A good balance between rest and exercise is important to treat rheumatoid arthritis. During attacks (when worsens the inflammation of the joint), is better to relax the joints that are inflamed. This can be achieved through the temporary use of a cane or slats together.
When it decreases the inflammation of the joints, a guided exercise program is necessary to maintain the flexibility of joints and strengthen the muscles surrounding the joints. They should do a range of motion exercises regularly to maintain the mobility of joints.
Surgery
When the bone produced by arthritis damage is too severe or the pain is not being controlled by medication, surgery is an option to restore the function of the damaged joint.
There is hope for people with rheumatoid arthritis?
Yes. Although there is still no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, there are many different methods to decrease pain and inflammation, and slow down the progression of the disease. It is of great importance to have an early diagnosis and effective treatment.
Currently there is research underway to determine the causes of rheumatoid arthritis and the best treatment.
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