What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which your immune system mistakenly attacks the joints. Normally, the immune system protects the body by attacking foreign bodies like bacteria and viruses. Yet, when someone suffers from rheumatoid arthritis the immune system fails to do so. Below is some key information about this disease.

About the Disease

• An estimate of 1.5 million people in the U.S. suffers from rheumatoid arthritis¹.
• It’s a disease more common in women. Nearly three times the amount of women have the disease as men¹.
• Women who suffer from the disease begin to experience its effects between the ages of 30 to 60. Men usually won’t see effects until later in life¹.

Causes

Though the exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown, there are factors that tend to cause the disease, including your

• genes,
• environment, and
• hormones².

In fact, your risk does increase if past family members have suffered from it¹.

Symptoms

Rheumatoid arthritis commonly affects the joints in the smaller parts of the body, including the

• hands,
• feet,
• wrists,
• elbows,
• knees, and
• ankles¹.

The main symptoms include³:

• tender, warm, swollen joints
• joint stiffness that usually worsens in the mornings and after inactivity
• fatigue,
• fever, and
• weight loss.

Inflammation causes the tissue that lines up with the inside of joints to thicken. This results in swelling and pain in and around the joints¹. If inflammation is not treated, it can damage the cartilage and the bones. As the cartilage is damaged it begins to fade and the joint spacing between bones can become smaller¹.

In fact, joint deformity is also a symptom of the disease. Since joint damage cannot be reversed and it can occur early, doctors recommend early diagnosis and aggressive treatment to control RA¹.

Diagnosis

Diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis can be difficult because

• there is no single test to diagnose the disease,
• the symptoms can be the same as other joint diseases symptoms, and
• it can take time for the symptoms to develop².

Rheumatologists specialize in the joints and will usually look at

• medical history,
• physical exam,
• x-rays, and
• lab tests

to try to diagnose the disease².

Treatment

Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis involves

• lifestyle changes to keep a good balance between rest and exercise,
• medicine to lower pain and swelling,
• surgery to reduce pain and improve mobility, and
• physical therapy².

The main goals of these treatments are to reduce pain and swelling, slow the disease, and help people feel in control over the disease². Another form of treatment is nutritional supplements. Certain nutrients target certain symptoms and problem areas of this disease. If you are deficient, the disease may take a larger toll and increase symptom severity and progression.

If you have questions concerning RA, speak with your physician and he/she can give you options or refer you to a rheumatologist or other specialist.

 
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1- What is Rheumatoid Arthritis? (n.d.). Retrieved February 09, 2017, from http://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/rheumatoid-arthritis/what-is-rheumatoid-arthritis.php

2- What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis? Fast Facts: An Easy-to-Read Series of Publications for the Public. (2014, November). Retrieved February 09, 2017, from https://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/rheumatic_disease/rheumatoid_arthritis_ff.asp

3- Mayo Clinic Staff. (2016, March 18). Rheumatoid Arthritis. Retrieved February 09, 2017, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/symptoms-causes/dxc-20197390