Learning About Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is exhibited with symptoms such as swelling or inflammation of the joints. Over a period of time rheumatoid arthritis can cause stiffness, pain and joint damage that can all contribute to problems with mobility. Since rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease, once a person has it the disease will never go away, but it’s progression can be slowed down significantly with early detection and medication.
While no one truly knows the cause of rheumatoid arthritis, most health practitioners agree that the main cause of rheumatoid arthritis has to do with an over-active immune system. When the immune system becomes over-active it starts to attack healthy tissue in the joints. Eventually it can erode all the joint tissue and begin to attack bones and tendons, which can result in severe pain and deformity of the joints.
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Rheumatoid Arthritis usually starts affecting the smaller joints in the hands and wrists. As the disease progresses, larger joints are affected. It is a symmetrical disease. If a joint in the right hand is affected by Rheumatoid Arthritis, then the same joint on the left hand will be affected. As the disease progresses in the joint, the cartilage, tendons and even bone may be affected. This can cause permanent deformity and instability in the affected joint.
It is fortunate that there isn’t a large amount of people who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. The disease seems to strike more women than men, and generally the first symptoms are notice between the ages of 30 to 50 years old. On rare occasions, rheumatoid arthritis can even strike young children, and again affects more girls than boys.
Each case of rheumatoid arthritis is managed in its own way, since the disease can present itself so differently in each person. Depending on the progression of the disease, the amount of inflammation and pain, different drugs are prescribed. Anti-inflammatory drugs, pain killers, anti-rheumatic and immune system drugs are a part of a normal drug cocktail for a person with rheumatoid arthritis. Your doctor may also recommend some other types of therapy to help with your arthritis, such as physiotherapy or acupuncture, which can help naturally relieve symptoms as well as keep your joints more limber and pain free.
No matter who you are, if you feel the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis such as warmth and inflammation in the joints in the hands, you should see your doctor immediately. Diagnosing and treating rheumatoid arthritis early will increase your chances of slowing down the disease and leading a normal, healthy life.
