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