Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition characterized by joint inflammation, and it causes pain and degenerative joint damage. This condition attacks your synovium, which is your joint's lining. The lining swells and becomes inflamed, which causes pain in the affected joints. Over time, this condition can cause deformity to your joints and make it difficult to perform normal daily activities.
Affected Individuals
Women are more likely than men to suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. However, this condition can affect anyone, including children. Typically, however, people begin showing signs of rheumatoid arthritis between the ages of 40 and 60. According to the Mayo Clinic, smoking tobacco increases your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.
Cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Your body's white blood cells normally attack foreign substances within the body. However, when you have rheumatoid arthritis, your white blood cells attack the synovium. This causes inflammation, which over time causes the body to release various proteins that cause the joint lining, or synovium, to thicken. The proteins also may cause ligament, tendon, bone, and cartilage damage. As the disease progresses, your joints can become misshapen. In severe cases, the joints may be ruined.
Symptoms
Generally, rheumatoid arthritis first affects your small joints--hands, wrists, feet, and ankles. As the condition advances, the larger joints of the jaw, neck, hips, knees, elbows, and shoulders may become affected. You may experience flare ups of pain, or periods when the symptoms become more intense, and then periods when the symptoms subside. Symptoms include pain and swelling in the affected joints, as well as joint tenderness and stiffness, particularly after inactivity. Your hands may appear puffy and red, and you may develop rheumatoid nodules. These are tissue bumps that develop under the skin of your arm. Additionally, you may experience fever, fatigue, and weight loss.
Diagnosis
A blood test can check for inflammation indicators within your body, and additional blood tests can determine if rheumatoid factor or anti-CPP antibodies are present. A doctor also may analyze a sample of your joint fluid, or take and examine X-rays to determine the severity of your joint's damage.
Treatment
You can try over-the-counter or prescription medications, known as NSAIDS, to alleviate pain and decrease inflammation, but check with a doctor or pharmacist first. Corticosteroids also may help alleviate pain and inflammation, and also slow down the progression of joint damage. Both NSAIDS and corticosteroids can lead to serious side effects if you take them for an extended time.
A doctor may prescribe a disease-modifying anathematic drugs (DMARDS). These are specifically for rheumatoid arthritis, and have been shown to help slow down joint damage. A doctor also may prescribe an immunosuppressant, which acts against the cells that are attacking the joints. TNF-alpha inhibitors also may be used to prevent inflammation that the protein TNF-alpha causes. TNF-alpha inhibitors are have serious side effects.
Other medications prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis include Anakinra, which helps with inflammation; Abatacept, which helps with inflammation and joint damage; and Rituximab, which helps with inflammation. Surgery may be an option, to repair your damaged joints if medications do not prevent serious joint damage.
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