Rheumatoid Arthritis
What is Rheumatoid arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease. Your immune system uses antibodies to protect you against disease and infection. But if you have RA, your antibodies attack your joints by mistake. It can also affect other parts of your body, such as the linings of your heart and lungs.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease, mainly characterized by inflammation of the lining, or synovium, of the joints. It can lead to long-term joint damage, resulting in chronic pain, loss of function and disability.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) progresses in three stages. The first stage is the swelling of the synovial lining, causing pain, warmth, stiffness, redness and swelling around the joint. Second is the rapid division and growth of cells, or pannus, which causes the synovium to thicken. In the third stage, the inflamed cells release enzymes that may digest bone and cartilage, often causing the involved joint to lose its shape and alignment, more pain, and loss of movement.
What causes Rheumatoid arthritis?
No one is certain about what causes Rheumatoid arthritis. It may be caused by an infection, or it may run in families.
Who gets Rheumatoid arthritis?
Anyone can develop Rheumatoid arthritis. For most people, it begins between the ages of 30 and 50. It is 2 to 3 times more common in women. Smokers are also more at risk for developing Rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects several joints at the same time, on both sides of your body. For example, both of your wrists may be painful and stiff. The hands, wrists, feet and knees are usually the first joints affected. Over time, it may also affect other joints, such as your jaw, shoulders or hips.
Treatment
Medicines you can buy without a prescription that reduce inflammation, such as aspirin, ibuprofen (one brand name: Motrin), ketoprofen (brand name: Orudis) or naproxen (brand name: Aleve), or pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (one brand name: Tylenol), can help you feel better. Your doctor can also prescribe medicine for you, such as prescription pain relievers or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These medicines reduce pain and swelling, but they do not slow the damage to your joints. These medicines should be used wisely. You only need the amount that makes you feel well enough to keep moving. Using too much medicine may increase the risk of side effects.
If you have only a few sore joints, your doctor may prescribe steroids, such as prednisone. Steroids reduce the pain and swelling in your joints, but they can only be used for a little while. The longer steroids are used, the less effective they become. They can also cause serious side effects.
Antirheumatic (say: "anti-roo-mat-ick") medicines can help fight Rheumatoid arthritis. If these medicines are started early enough, they can slow the damage to your joints. These medicines work slowly, and it can take a few weeks to start feeling better. Your doctor may do a blood test to make sure these medicines are safe for you. Some of these medicines should not be taken if you are pregnant. Your doctor may talk to you about birth control before you use any antirheumatic medicines.
Can Rheumatoid arthritis be cured?
Rheumatoid arthritis is a lifelong disease. Sometimes, if it's treated, it will go away for a little while, but it usually comes back. It is important to see your doctor as soon as you have symptoms.
What other problems can Rheumatoid arthritis cause?
Rheumatoid arthritis can cause other health problems. Your hands may become bent or twisted. You may find lumps in the backs of your arms or other areas. Lung and heart problems may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any new symptoms or problems that you notice.
Informations obtained from National Institute of Health.