Doctors refer to rheumatoid arthritis as an autoimmune disorder. It begins when your immune system, which is meant to defend you, malfunctions and starts attacking the tissues in your body. The synovium—the lining of your joints—becomes inflamed as a result. Your joints may become painful, swollen, red, and heated as a result.
Your joints become painful, swollen, and heated to the touch when you have rheumatoid arthritis.
Joints on both sides of the body, such as the hands, wrists, and knees, are impacted by RA. It can be distinguished from other types of arthritis thanks to its symmetry. Over time, RA can have an impact on several organs and systems in the body, including the eyes, heart, lungs, skin, blood vessels, and more.
Symptoms
People respond to RA in different ways. Some people experience the onset of RA as a few joints experience mild to moderate inflammation. RA, however, can get worse and damage more joints if it is not treated or if the treatments are not effective. This may cause more harm and incapacity.
Sometimes, “flares” of RA symptoms are brought on by triggers including stress, environmental variables (such cigarette smoke or viral infections), excessive exercise, or abrupt drug discontinuation. There might not always be a readily apparent cause.
Treatment is to keep the disease under control such that it is in remission or is almost in remission, with no visible signs or symptoms of the illness.
Rheumatoid arthritis can cause other medical problems, such as:
- Joint pain at rest and when moving, along with tenderness, swelling, and warmth of the joint.
- Joint stiffness that lasts longer than 30 minutes, typically after waking in the morning or after resting for a long period of time.
- Joint swelling that may interfere with daily activities, such as difficulty making a fist, combing hair, buttoning clothes, or bending knees.
- Fatigue – feeling unusually tired or having low energy.
- Occasional low-grade fever.
- Loss of appetite.
Although it can affect any joint, rheumatoid arthritis is most frequent in the wrists, hands, and feet. Asymmetrically, the symptoms frequently manifest on both sides of the body. If you have RA in your right hand, for instance, you can also have it in your left hand.
People respond to RA in different ways. Some people experience the onset of RA as a few joints experience mild to moderate inflammation. RA, however, can get worse and damage more joints if it is not treated or if the treatments are not effective. This may cause more harm and incapacity.
Sometimes, “flares” of RA symptoms are brought on by triggers including stress, environmental variables (such cigarette smoke or viral infections), excessive exercise, or abrupt drug discontinuation. There might not always be a readily apparent cause.
Treatment is to keep the disease under control such that it is in remission or is almost in remission, with no visible signs or symptoms of the illness.
Rheumatoid arthritis can cause other medical problems, such as:
- Rheumatoid nodules that are firm lumps just below the skin, typically on the hands and elbows.
- Anemia due to low red blood cell counts.
- Neck pain.
- Dry eyes and mouth.
- Inflammation of the blood vessels, the lung tissue, airways, the lining of the lungs, or the sac enclosing the heart.
- Lung disease, characterized by scarring and inflammation of the lungs that can be severe in some people with RA.
Causes
What sets off the immune system’s attack on the body’s joints and other tissues remains a mystery to researchers. According to studies, the following elements may interact to cause the disease:
- Genes. Rheumatoid arthritis might be brought on by specific genes that modify how the immune system functions. However, not everyone with these genes experiences the condition. This shows that other factors besides genes have a role in the emergence of RA. Who develops the condition and how severe it will be may also depend on multiple genes.
- Environment. Researchers are still investigating how environmental variables, such as smoking, may cause rheumatoid arthritis in individuals who also carry genes that enhance their risk. Inhalants, germs, viruses, gum disease, and lung illness are other variables that may contribute to the development of RA.
- Sexual hormones. When hereditary and environmental factors are also at play in the development of rheumatoid arthritis, researchers believe that sex hormones may also be a component.
Studies reveal: Women are more likely than men to develop rheumatoid arthritis. The disease may improve during pregnancy and flare after pregnancy.
How Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Affect Your Body?
Immune system cells travel from the blood into the tissues that line your joints. The term for this is synovium. As soon as the cells arrive, they start to inflame. As fluid accumulates inside your joint as a result, it swells. Your joints start hurting, swelling, and getting warm to the touch.
The cartilage, a soft tissue layer that covers the ends of your bones, gradually deteriorates as a result of the inflammation. The distance between your bones gets smaller as you lose cartilage. They could rub against one another or shift position as time passes. Inflammatory cells also produce chemicals that harm your bones.
The inflammation caused by RA can spread to various human organs and systems, including the eyes, heart, lungs, kidneys, blood vessels, and even the skin.
Diagnosis
There is no single test that shows whether you have RA. Your doctor will give you a checkup, ask you about your symptoms, and possibly perform X-rays and blood tests.
Rheumatoid arthritis is diagnosed from a combination of things, including:
- The location and symmetry of painful joints, especially the hand joints
- Joint stiffness in the morning
- Bumps and nodules under the skin (rheumatoid nodules)
- Results of X-rays and blood tests
Treatment
Treatments include medications, rest, exercise, and, in some cases, surgery to correct joint damage.
Your options will depend on several things, including your age, overall health, medical history, and how severe your case is.
Medications
Many rheumatoid arthritis medications can ease joint pain, swelling, and inflammation. Some of these drugs prevent or slow down the disease.
Rest and Exercise
While staying active is important, you also need to pace yourself. Resting your joints is recommended when inflammation is severe during flare-ups. A cane or joint splints may be helpful.
Exercise is recommended as soon as the inflammation subsides. Your joints will remain flexible, and the muscles around them will get stronger. Stretching and low-impact exercises like brisk walking or swimming can be beneficial. At first, you might wish to work with a physical therapist.
Surgery
When joint damage from rheumatoid arthritis has become severe, surgery may help.
Although there isn’t a cure for rheumatoid arthritis, early, aggressive treatment will help prevent disability and increase your chances of remission.
Source: https://www.webmd.com, https://www.healthline.com, https://www.hopkinsarthritis.org, https://www.niams.nih.gov, https://www.mayoclinic.org