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What is Rheumatoid Arthritis? |
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Symptoms
Rheumatoid arthritis often involves inflammation, causing joint pain and injury. The condition occurs on the joint linings, resulting in swollenness, as well as painful and throbbing sensations. The joints feel tender with the slightest touch, and stiffness occurs in increasing frequency, each lasting for more than half an hour. Firm, lumpy tissues also form beneath the skin on the arms, and the hands become sore and puffy. These symptoms initially develop at the smaller joints; at the wrist, fingers, ankles, and on the toes. As the disease becomes more severe, the jaw, elbow, knee, hip, and neck joints are consequently afflicted. Symptoms differ, and their severities are usually transient but recurring. Women are more susceptible to rheumatoid arthritis, particularly those who are in their middle to senior ages, but children and younger adults can be afflicted as well.
Causes
The disease occurs when the body’s antibody carriers (the white blood cells) enter the membrane which envelops the joints (synovium) from their normal territories in the bloodstream; these apparently contribute to the inflammation of the joint membranes, causing the discharge of proteins which thicken the membrane over the years. The proteins may also injure the cartilage, tendon, ligament, and bone tissues which lie next to the joints, causing a gradual deformity in terms of shape and alignment. These tissues are inevitably destroyed. The nature of the cause is still uncertain, but doctors believe that an intricate combination of elements which involve the genes, and the patient’s lifestyle and environment play a role in its development.
Diagnosis
Since the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are very identifiable, diagnosis usually starts with a physical exam, wherein the doctor inquires about particular symptoms and examines the afflicted joints. This may be followed by a blood test; patients who bear the condition bear an increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, an indication of the existence of inflammatory occurrences within the body. A blood test may also check for the presence of certain antibodies referred to as the rheumatoid factor, as well as anti-CCP (cyclic citrullinated peptides) in the bloodstream. In its earlier phases, their existence may lead to a heightened risk for joint injury. Diagnosis may also be obtained after fluid is extracted from the joint and examined; this helps the doctor rule out other conditions as the cause of the pain and inflammation. Regular joint X-rays are recommended to monitor the disease’s progression over time.
Treatment Info
Rheumatoid arthritis is incurable, and treatments can only aim to minimize inflammation, provide pain relief, and mitigate joint degeneration. Initial treatments are usually aggressive and are efficient in slowing down the damage, thereby reducing risks for disability. Medications are usually prescribed to ease pain and inhibit damage, and the type of medication which the patient takes on depends on the severity of the condition. These include steroids, NSAIDs, DMARDs, and immunosuppressants. If drugs fail to hamper the progression of the disease, joint surgery may be performed in an attempt to replace the afflicted joint, repair the damaged tendons, or to remove the lining on the joints.
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