Basic Facts about Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is one form of arthritis that causes pain, swelling, stiffness and the loss of function of our joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease wherein our body’s immune system – our protector from bacteria and viruses - attacks the joints. It is an abnormal immune response which leads to inflammation that damages joints and organs like the heart, eyes, lungs, and blood vessels.
Rheumatoid arthritis can occur at any age, but usually begins after 40 and more common in women than in men. Signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include joint pain, fatigue, fever, swollen joints, loss of joint function, as well as its stiffness, redness, warmth tenderness and deformity. These may vary in severity from person to person and may even come and go. There may be periods of increase disease activity called flares. There may also be period of relative remission, wherein the swelling and pain will fade or disappear. But in the long process, rheumatoid arthritis can cause for joints to deform and shift out of its place thus deterring its function.
What causes rheumatoid arthritis is still unknown. Viruses, bacteria and fungi may be infectious agents but it is not proven that they are the cause. Rheumatoid arthritis may be hereditary because there are certain genes that have found to increase the risk of the disease. But there are also environmental factors that may trigger the activation of the immune system in some person. Environmental factors include smoking tobacco, eating a lot of red meat, and drinking a lot of coffee. The misdirected immune system eventually attacks the body’s own immune system that leads to inflammation in joints and various organs of the body. It is also said that rheumatoid arthritis is less common in people who have a high Vitamin C intake and who drinks alcohol in moderation.
Rheumatoid arthritis increase the risk of developing osteoporosis, carpal tunnel syndrome wherein the inflammation can compress the nerve that serves most of our hand and fingers, heart problems, and lung disease.
There is no cure yet for rheumatoid arthritis, but there are many medicines available that will help ease the symptoms, reduce inflammations and slow its progress in the body. But still, no certain drug works for everyone with rheumatoid arthritis. Self-care plays a vital role in rheumatoid arthritis care. Being physically active makes the joints flexible, and the strong muscles protect joints.
Though there are available medicines, severity of the disease may lead to the recommendation for a therapy which will help keep the joints flexible by doing some exercises. But if medications and therapy fails to prevent or slow the damage in joints, doctors may consider surgery to repair any damaged joints in the body. This may help restore the patient’s ability to use his joint and can also reduce pain and correct deformities. Surgery may be a total joint replacement, a tendon repair or a tendon fusion, depending on how severe the damage was.
Since the cause of rheumatoid arthritis is not yet known, there is no better way to prevent the disease by doing self-care measures like exercising regularly, having a balanced diet, and living a healthy lifestyle. It is also encouraged that a person should consult the doctor right away whenever a symptom of rheumatoid arthritis is present so as to diagnose it early and apply the necessary medications to stop or delay its progress.
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Published at: 10/28/2015
