RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: A QUICK GUIDE

  

 Do you know that rheumatoid arthritis can shorten your lifespan by up to ten years?

Do you know that rheumatoid arthritis can shorten your lifespan by up to ten years? It’s about time that you become informed of its symptoms, management, and prevention as early as now.

Not many people know that rheumatoid arthritis affects people of all ages, and it does wreak

 havoc not just on your bones but also on other body organs such as your heart, blood vessels, and lungs. This is an autoimmune process that affects your whole body. This is what sets it apart from osteoarthritis, a disease concentrated on the bone.

Are you suffering from rheumatoid arthritis? If so, this article would help you increase your up-to-date information on rheumatoid arthritis.

 

Rheumatoid Arthritis Facts

● RA is a common type of arthritis. That can affect the hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, jaw, feet, ankles, knees, joints, and hips.

● People between the ages between 25 and 50 are more prone to arthritis, though it may occur at any age.

● It mostly affects women three times more often than men.

● Treatment for RA involves medications, physical therapies, and patient education and support to control pain, and minimize joint damage.

 Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common connective tissue disease.

When our immune system mistakenly attacks its tissues, including the delicate membranes it encapsulates most joints. The white blood cells move into the bones. They release chemicals called cytokines which attack the lining of the joint, called the synovial membrane. Thick tissue called Pannus grows inside the joint. Over time, that tissue invades and destroys cartilage and bone inside the bone. The initial symptoms usually affect the wrists, knuckles, balls of the feet, and knees.

 Also, rheumatoid arthritis can cause fatigue and potentially lead to long-term joint deformities.

 Types of Rheumatoid arthritis

 Nowadays, research is being conducted to find ways to classify the types of rheumatoid arthritis by the actual symptoms patients experience, in addition to other factors. It will help the patient choose personalized therapy and medical treatment options. Doctors determine whether the patient has seropositive rheumatoid arthritis or seronegative rheumatoid arthritis.

 Seropositive

Rheumatoid arthritis patients have the presence of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCPs) in their blood test results.

Seronegative

Without the presence of antibodies in the blood, the patient can develop rheumatoid arthritis. The patients do not test positive for the anti-CCPs or other antibodies. It can be diagnosed still in some ways including the demonstration of clinical rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, as well as X-ray results indicating patterns of cartilage and bone deterioration.

 Rheumatoid Factor

The rheumatoid Factor is another type or classification of RA. It can appear in patients who have other disease conditions. Hence, this antibody is used to determine the presence of the autoimmune disorder that causes rheumatoid arthritis. Patients who have positive anti-CCPs results also tested positive for RA.

 Juvenile RA

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis affects younger age under 17 years old. Its symptoms can be persistent.

 Causes of Rheumatoid arthritis

 The mystery that remains surrounding the direct cause of rheumatoid arthritis makes it difficult to categorize the disease. It can affect patients from a variety of backgrounds, so it is difficult to determine one specific cause. 

 What causes the autoimmune disease to develop in individual patients is still unknown. 

Environmental exposures, age, sex, family history, and lifestyle play a vital role to develop arthritis.

Symptoms and Signs

 Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis may vary from person to person. It includes swelling, stiffness, and deformities of the joints, most commonly in the hands, wrists, and feet; typically, joints on both sides of the body are affected. This painful feeling of disease is due to inflammation. 

 Complications

Rheumatoid arthritis increases your risk of developing:

●   Osteoporosis. Some medications weaken the bones and make them more prone to fracture.

●  Rheumatoid nodules. These firm bumps of tissue most commonly form around pressure points, such as the elbows.

●  Dry eyes and mouth. People who have RA may experience drying of the mouth and eyes.

● Infections. The disease itself and the medications can lead to a risk of invasion of microorganisms in the body tissues.

●  Abnormal body composition. RA‐associated disease and treatment characteristics contribute to this increase in unusual body composition.

●  Carpal tunnel syndrome.  If rheumatoid arthritis affects your wrists, the inflammation can compress the nerve which runs the length of the arm and goes through a passage in the wrist.

●  Heart problems. The hardened and blocked arteries, as well as inflammatory conditions of the sac that encloses your heart increased the risk of developing heart disease.

●   Lung DISEASE. Certain drugs used in the treatment of RA can have a potentially harmful effect on the lung. It can cause acute lung inflammation.

● Lymphoma. Lymphoma is a blood cancer in the lymphatic system (a part of your immune system that helps fight off infection and disease) Chronic inflammation is the highest risk for developing lymphoma.

Diagnosis

 Diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is quite a challenge. It is difficult to get an accurate diagnosis because the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are the same as other forms of arthritis.

 To confirm the doctor’s suspicions and to make an accurate diagnosis, the patient may carry out a physical examination as well as significant tests.  These includes:

●       Antinuclear antibody (ANA)

●        Rheumatoid factor (RF), to identify and measure the level of an antibody that acts against the blood component gamma globulin

●       Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP), to check the presence of a particular autoantibody that is present in approximately 60-80% of people with RA.

●       Uric acid elevated level of uric acid in the blood causes inflammation and severe pain.

●       HLA tissue typing detects the presence of specific genetic markers in the blood, and can often confirm reactive arthritis.

●       Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, to measure how fast red blood cells cling together, fall, and settle.

●        C-reactive protein, a blood test that measures body-wide inflammation

●       Lyme serology detects an immune response to the infectious agent

●       Joint fluid test- An examination of the fluid may reveal uric acid crystals

 When to see a doctor?

If you are experiencing joint pain, swelling, or other symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, it is necessary to speak to your doctor. They will assess the appropriate treatment best for your condition, and keep your health in check.

 Prevention

 There’s no way to prevent rheumatoid arthritis. However, you have all the power to help yourself control your RA every day. Definite lifestyle changes may also help reduce your symptoms:

●       Aerobic exercise and strength training

●   Balance diet. Eating food that focuses on low-inflammatory foods, and less processed sugar and wheat

●       Quit smoking

●       Practice a balanced diet

●       Boost your vitamin D by having your daily dose of morning sunshine

●       Limit caffeine intake from coffee, teas, chocolate, and soda

  In inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, there are always good days and sick days. This condition requires vigilance. Particularly symptoms change over time. Always keep in mind there are a lot of options available to you, so if one approach does not work, another one might do.