What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that primarily causes chronic inflammation of the synovium of joints, often associated with other multi-system features.

An autoimmune disease, refers to a condition where the body’s defense mechanism acts against the body’s own tissues. In the case of Rheumatoid arthritis, it is the synovium of joints which becomes a victim of the body’s self inflicted damage.

Who Suffers From Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Though believed to be a disease of the general population, Rheumatoid arthritis affects women more than men. The cause for this occurrence is not well understood.

Rheumatoid arthritis can affect persons of all ages, but it usually appears between 25 to 50 years of age.

Rheumatoid arthritis can sometimes also affect children."Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis" is the term used when it occurs in children.

What Is The Cause For Rheumatoid Arthritis?

The specific cause of Rheumatoid arthritis is still unknown, but it is thought to possibly be a genetic disease. There is also evidence of infections and other environmental factors being possible causes.

What Are The Signs And symptoms Of Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Some of the possible signs and symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis include:

• Low-grade fever
• Fatigue and tiredness
• Lack of appetite
• Small joints in the fingers, toes, hands, feet, wrists, elbows, and ankles becoming swollen and painful.
• Large joints like knee joint, can also be affected.
• Pain and swelling is symmetric (same joint on both sides).
• Joints later become stiff and deformity may also occur.
• Morning stiffness of affected joints which occurs after waking up in the morning and lasts for at least 30 minutes.
• Stiffness after prolonged inactivity of affected joints .
• Subcutaneous nodules which are hard swellings just under the skin may be present.

How Can Rheumatoid Arthritis Be Treated?

The following methods can help to relieve some of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis:

• Physiotherapy.
• Weight loss.
• Heat therapy.
• Cold therapy.
• Occupational therapy.

Medications should often also be used to treat Rheumatoid arthritis. Some of these medications include:

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID's):
• Corticosteroids
• Disease-modifying anti-rheumatoid drugs (DMARD's):
• Anti-cytokines

Some of these medications not only relieve the symptoms but can also suppress the immune system and also slow down further progression of the disease.

The treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is complex and should be under the supervision of a rheumatologist.

If deformity occurs during the course of this disease, then surgery may become necessary to improve the patient’s quality of life.