Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack the joints, resulting in substantial loss of mobility and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic, meaning it often affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body, such as the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs and muscles.
Signs and Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
One of the most common symptoms of RA is daily joint pain. Most patients also experience some degree of depression and anxiety, which can impact functional status and quality of life.
Other symptoms include:
* Morning stiffness in and around the joints
* 3 or more joint areas with simultaneous soft tissue swelling or fluid
* Swollen joint areas in the wrist, knuckle or middle joint of the finger
* Fatigue, which can be severe during a flare-up
* General sense of not feeling well (malaise)
Although RA is traditionally a chronic disease, it tends to vary in severity, alternating between flare-ups and remission.
Causes and Risk Factors of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Doctors do not know why people develop RA, but it is believed to be the body's immune system attacking the tissue that lines a person's joints. More than 2 million people in the U.S. have RA. It is two to three times more common in women than men and typically develops between the ages of 20 and 50.
While RA itself is not inherited, what can be inherited are the genes that may make someone more likely to develop the disease. Although scientists believe it is unlikely that genes alone bring about RA, research continues to study the role genes play in the development of the disease. In addition to genetics, recent research suggests that RA may also be caused by environmental and hormonal factors.
Other factors that increase the risk of RA include:
* Getting older, incidences of RA increase with age
* Being female
* Heredity, a predisposition to RA runs in some families
* Smoking cigarettes over a long period of time
Doctors also believe that certain infections or factors in the environment may cause the immune system to attack the body's own tissues, resulting in inflammation in various organs of the body such as the lungs or eyes.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
While your family doctor may be able to diagnose your symptoms, only a qualified physician can diagnose you with RA. If you think you have RA, have your doctor refer you to a rheumatologist, a doctor specializing in managing conditions involving joints, muscles and bones. It is important to diagnose RA early, and patients should start aggressive treatment as soon as possible. However, proper treatment can greatly improve the quality of a person's life.
The cure for RA still remains unknown, but the main goal of treatment is to relieve symptoms, especially pain, as well as slow progression of the disease and prevent disability. Doctors may suggest a variety of treatment options to improve symptoms, such as medicines, therapies, procedures and lifestyle changes.
If you have been experiencing daily joint pain or any other symptoms of RA, it is best to schedule an appointment with your doctor for a proper diagnosis.
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Signs and Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
One of the most common symptoms of RA is daily joint pain. Most patients also experience some degree of depression and anxiety, which can impact functional status and quality of life.
Other symptoms include:
* Morning stiffness in and around the joints
* 3 or more joint areas with simultaneous soft tissue swelling or fluid
* Swollen joint areas in the wrist, knuckle or middle joint of the finger
* Fatigue, which can be severe during a flare-up
* General sense of not feeling well (malaise)
Although RA is traditionally a chronic disease, it tends to vary in severity, alternating between flare-ups and remission.
Causes and Risk Factors of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Doctors do not know why people develop RA, but it is believed to be the body's immune system attacking the tissue that lines a person's joints. More than 2 million people in the U.S. have RA. It is two to three times more common in women than men and typically develops between the ages of 20 and 50.
While RA itself is not inherited, what can be inherited are the genes that may make someone more likely to develop the disease. Although scientists believe it is unlikely that genes alone bring about RA, research continues to study the role genes play in the development of the disease. In addition to genetics, recent research suggests that RA may also be caused by environmental and hormonal factors.
Other factors that increase the risk of RA include:
* Getting older, incidences of RA increase with age
* Being female
* Heredity, a predisposition to RA runs in some families
* Smoking cigarettes over a long period of time
Doctors also believe that certain infections or factors in the environment may cause the immune system to attack the body's own tissues, resulting in inflammation in various organs of the body such as the lungs or eyes.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
While your family doctor may be able to diagnose your symptoms, only a qualified physician can diagnose you with RA. If you think you have RA, have your doctor refer you to a rheumatologist, a doctor specializing in managing conditions involving joints, muscles and bones. It is important to diagnose RA early, and patients should start aggressive treatment as soon as possible. However, proper treatment can greatly improve the quality of a person's life.
The cure for RA still remains unknown, but the main goal of treatment is to relieve symptoms, especially pain, as well as slow progression of the disease and prevent disability. Doctors may suggest a variety of treatment options to improve symptoms, such as medicines, therapies, procedures and lifestyle changes.
If you have been experiencing daily joint pain or any other symptoms of RA, it is best to schedule an appointment with your doctor for a proper diagnosis.
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