Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic condition that affects the joints and soft tissues causing swelling and pain. It is an autoimmune disorder where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own joints and causes inflammation. The inflammation can lead to a wide range of issues over time from difficulty with daily tasks to organ damage. RA can affect any joint in the body, but it is most common in smaller joints such as those in the hands, wrists, and feet.
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What is Rheumatoid arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune condition characterized by inflammation, swelling, and pain in the joints and muscles. The inflammation caused by RA occurs when the body’s own immune system mistakenly attacks the joints and other parts of the body. This leads to joint damage, instability, reduced function, disability, and sometimes deformity, depending on the severity and duration of the disease. In some cases, RA can also affect other organs in the body such as the lungs, skin, eyes, and blood vessels.
The symptoms of this condition include joint swelling, tenderness, stiffness, and redness. It can also cause fatigue, fever, weight loss, and anemia. In more severe cases, it can lead to loss of limb function and joint deformity.
Symptoms
Rheumatoid arthritis is a medical condition where the body attacks its own joints and tissues, resulting in long-term pain and swelling. It’s an autoimmune disorder, meaning that the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. The symptoms of RA vary from person to person, but often include inflammation, swelling, tenderness around the joints, and decreased stamina. RA can also cause extensive damage to joints and other parts of the musculoskeletal system, as well as fatigue, low-grade fevers, and dryness in the eyes or mouth.
Rheumatoid arthritis can cause the following signs and symptoms:
Joint pain, warmth, and swelling
Joint stiffness that worsens in the mornings and after inactivity
Fatigue, fever, and appetite loss
Early rheumatoid arthritis usually affects your smaller joints first, especially the joints that connect your fingers to your hands and your toes to your feet.
Symptoms of the condition frequently expand to the wrists, knees, ankles, elbows, hips, and shoulders as it develops. Symptoms usually appear in the same joints on both sides of your body.
Causes of Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a kind of autoimmune disorder. Normally, your immune system aids in the protection of your body against infection and disease. Your immune system assaults healthy tissue in your joints when you have rheumatoid arthritis. It can also lead to medical issues with your heart, lungs, nerves, eyes, and skin.
Doctors are unsure what causes this process, although a hereditary component appears to be involved. While your genes do not cause rheumatoid arthritis, they can make you more prone to react to environmental conditions that may initiate the illness, such as infection with certain viruses and bacteria.
Diagnosis
Because the early signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis mirror those of many other diseases, it can be difficult to identify in its early stages. There is no one blood test or physical characteristic that can be used to confirm the diagnosis.
During the physical exam, your doctor will look for edema, redness, and warmth in your joints. Your reflexes and physical strength may also be tested.
Treatment
Rheumatoid arthritis has no known cure. However, clinical trials show that remission of symptoms is more frequent when therapy with disease-modifying antirheumatic medicines started early (DMARDs).
Assistive gadgets can help you prevent overstressing your sore joints. For example, a kitchen knife with a hand handle protects your finger and wrist joints. Certain equipment, such as buttonhooks, can make dressing easier. Catalogs and medical supply stores are excellent sources of inspiration.
Conclusion
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder that leads to inflammation of the joints, causing stiff joints, pain, and damage to the surrounding tissues. This type of chronic arthritis affects up to 1.3 million Americans, with women being two to three times more likely to develop it than men. While this condition can begin at any age, most people who have rheumatoid arthritis will experience their first symptoms between the ages of 40 and 60 years. RA is not a curable disorder, but treatments are available to help manage symptoms and slow the progression of the disease.