Rheumatoid Arthritis

What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes painful inflammation in joints as well as the possibility of damage to organs and body systems. With this type of arthritis, the linings of joints become swollen from inflammation, and without treatment over time the swelling can cause bone erosion and joint deformity. The skin, eyes, lungs, and heart can also be negatively affected by rheumatoid arthritis.

It is not as much of an age-related arthritis like osteoarthritis, and the joint damage is not occurring because of aging and wear and tear on them. Women develop rheumatoid arthritis more often than men, and for either gender, it will usually onset in middle age. Becoming arthritic in the hands because of rheumatoid arthritis can be very problematic for some people, especially if they are still of working age.

What Causes Rheumatoid Arthritis?

It is very common for people to have a genetic predisposition for rheumatoid arthritis and be more likely to get it because their parents had it. Bacterial or viral infections can also be behind what causes rheumatoid arthritis, but for most people, it is because their immune system is wired to cause the tissue of the joint lining to become extremely inflamed. There are risk factors that will increase the chance of rheumatoid arthritis or worsen it.

Cigarette smoking and carrying excess body weight can factor into getting this type of arthritis. This can be true even if the person has a normal BMI rating but has a higher proportion of fat to lean body mass. There are also potential complications from rheumatoid arthritis, and people with the disorder may develop osteoporosis, get rheumatoid nodules, or have carpal tunnel syndrome in the wrists.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms

Joint stiffness and pain are the most primary of rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, but sufferers may also have tenderness in their joints or have them feel especially warm to the touch. The joint stiffness is usually more pronounced in the morning after waking up or after a person has been inactive for a long time. Fatigue, fever, or loss of appetite can result from any type of inflammatory disorder. Some people may also have dry eyes and dry mouth from Sjogren’s syndrome because of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment

The most conventional approach to rheumatoid arthritis treatment is to have the person start on NSAID anti-steroidal medications like Arava or Lodine. These drugs work by suppressing the body’s immune response as it targets joint lining and there is less swelling and inflammation in the joints because of it. Physical or occupational therapy are often also parts of treatment for arthritis, and some people claim to have gotten relief from rheumatoid arthritis with acupuncture.

For severe arthritis and when medication and therapy are ineffective for real reductions in joint pain and stiffness, a sufferer may be recommended to have surgery for rheumatoid arthritis. Possibilities here are a synovectomy, tendon repair or joint fusion surgery, or a total joint replacement. Knee replacement is the most common type of joint replacement surgery.