Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic autoimmune disease that affects the joints, muscles, and organs. It has no known cure, but early diagnosis and treatment can reduce discomfort and extend joint flexibility. Women are more likely to develop it, and smoking increases the risk. Treatment may include exercise, medication, and arthrocentesis.
The autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects the joints causing pain, inflammation and reduced mobility. About 1 percent of the population suffers from this type of arthritis, with women being two to three times more likely to develop it. While there is neither a known cause nor cure for this degenerative condition, early diagnosis and treatment can extend joint flexibility and reduce discomfort.
The reason rheumatoid arthritis classifies as a systemic autoimmune disease is that it occurs throughout the body when antibodies begin attacking healthy tissue. This type of arthritis can affect muscles and organs, as well as joints, as it progresses. Usually, the onset of rheumatoid arthritis occurs between the ages of 40 and 60 and first manifests itself in the wrists and hands. The medical community believes that there is a genetic and environmental factor in its development. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis goes through phases of worsening, but it can also have cycles of flare-ups and remission. At first, joints feel stiff and red as their delicate lining, the synovium, swells. Symptoms range from pain and discomfort in symmetrical parts of the body, to low-grade fever, loss of appetite, or fatigue. Next, the body reacts by trying to cushion the joint by thickening the synovium. Finally, the antibodies attack the entire joint by breaking down the bones, ligaments, tendons, synovium, and cartilage. This results in deformed or misaligned joints that bend with difficulty. The entire joint area will be inflamed, discolored, heavy, and painful.
Doctors can diagnose rheumatoid arthritis by taking a history of your joint varnish and ruling out other types of arthritis. Treatment by a specialist, a rheumatologist, will be tailored to reduce symptoms and postpone worsening joint health. Your tailored treatment might include mild exercise, anti-inflammatory medications or cortisone shots to reduce swelling, pain relievers for pain relief, or medications like prednisone to prevent further damage to your joints. In some cases, your doctor might extract fluid from your joints with arthrocentesis. This relieves some of the pressure and gives the doctor something to analyze chemically. Overall, RA treatment continues to improve with better medicines and a broader understanding of this disease that affects the whole body.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
