An Overview of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is the type of arthritis that is caused when your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body’s tissues. The human immune system compromises of cells and antibodies that are designed to destroy the foreign bodies attacking your body. The foreign bodies attacking are called as antigens and our fighters from the body are termed as antibodies. These antibodies have got the special mechanism to differentiate the foreign bodies and our body parts. When this mechanism fails, antibodies are not able to differentiate between then its own body parts and foreign bodies. As a result of this they attack its own body parts and harm the health of the individual adversely. This type of disease is termed as autoimmune system disease.

Rheumatoid arthritis is the chronic illness that means it stays on for the long time. It is the disease that has got the potential to cause permanent joint disability. The most dangerous thing about the rheumatoid arthritis is that the person suffering with it gets to see the symptoms as the disease becomes serious. It is the inflammatory disorder that affects tissues and organs, but it attacks specifically the joints. It affects the lining of the joints but doesn’t make the bones weaker like in osteoarthritis or osteoporosis. Along with the joints rheumatoid arthritis affects your whole body with fever and fatigue. The inflammation occurs in tissues around the joints, such as the tendons, ligaments, and muscles when a person suffers with the rheumatoid arthritis.

The medical science is still unaware of the basic cause of the arthritis. But, some research studies have found that bacteria, viruses, and fungi are the underlying cause of the rheumatoid arthritis. Some studies suggests that occurrence of the rheumatoid arthritis is being linked to the hereditary. Smoking tobacco and drinking lot of alcohol increases the risk of suffering with the rheumatoid arthritis. Very few people suffer with the rheumatoid arthritis. As per the scientific survey only 1% of individuals in the entire world are being noted to be suffering with the rheumatoid arthritis. Even this survey concluded in comparison to men, the percentage of women suffering with the rheumatoid arthritis is three times more. Mostly the women in age group of 40 to 60 suffer with the rheumatoid arthritis.

Stiffness in joints is the common symptom of the rheumatoid arthritis. If you are facing the morning stiffness of the joints then you are certainly suffering with the rheumatoid arthritis. Swelling of the joints occurs once the disease starts moving towards it intermediate stage. Pain and redness of the joints is being noted during the rheumatoid arthritis. In some cases fatigue, muscle aches, loss of appetite, and malaise are noted in some of the cases of rheumatoid arthritis. At the initial phase the smaller joints are affected by the disease and then it proceeds towards affecting the bigger joints.

To confirm the occurrence of the rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests are done. It includes x-rays and blood tests. The disease after destroying your joints completely it proceeds towards other body organs. It is slow process, but leads to the more adverse results. The first mode of treatment suggested for the rheumatoid arthritis to get rid of the joint pain is ointment. Antirheumatic drugs, anti-inflammatory medications, anti-malarial medications, and corticosteroids are the medications used to treat the rheumatoid arthritis. The orthopedic doctor would be best person to suggest the medications. If these medications didn’t show you the effect then surgery is the only left option. The surgeries help to relieve joint pain, correct deformities, and modestly improve joint function. So this was just an short overview of rheumatoid arthritis consult the doctor for the information.