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Truths About Rheumatoid Arthritis and How to Face Them?

Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease, impacts the joints, resulting in pain, swelling, and stiffness. While it can affect individuals of any age, it is particularly prevalent among middle-aged women. Rheumatoid arthritis can cause irreversible damage to the bones around the joints if not treated promptly, resulting in pain, deformity, and loss of function. It can also harm other organs if left untreated. There are no permanent cures for rheumatoid arthritis.

A couple with arthritis jogging happily

What is Rheumatoid Arthritis? 
Rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic inflammatory condition, impacts various joints, including the hands and feet. Rheumatoid arthritis is an ongoing process of arthritis. RA hampers both sides of the body, which differentiates it from other types of arthritis. Besides joints, RA can affect various body parts, such as the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, blood, nerves, and kidneys. RA is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system (the infection-fighting mechanism) attacks itself. Women are 2.5 times as likely as men to have it. Rheumatoid arthritis is most common in people aged 20 to 50, but it can also strike young children and other elderly patients.
 
What causes rheumatoid arthritis? 
The exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown. However, we believe the reasons are a combination of the following factors:

1. Genetics (heredity)

1. Abnormal immune system or power

1. The environment and ecosystems

1. Hormones and hormonal changes,

The immune system defends the body against infection. Habits and disorders activate the immune system. The immune system attacks the joints in people with RA, and it includes some contamination, cigarette smoking, physical or emotional stress, and the use of alcohol.  
Gender, heredity, and genes contribute to the likelihood of developing rheumatoid arthritis. For instance, women are approximately three times more likely than men to develop this condition. 
 
What Are the Different Types of Rheumatoid Arthritis? 
Identifying your RA type will assist you and your doctor with a treatment plan.

• Seropositive RA: If your blood tests confirm positive for the rheumatoid protein factor (RF), show your body is actively creating an immune response against normal tissues. If one of your parents or siblings has RF, your chances of developing RA increase fourfold.

• Seronegative RA occurs when a person tests negative for RF and anti-CCP in their blood yet still has RA. Those who test positive have a milder form of RA than those who test negative.

• Juvenile RA (juvenile idiopathic arthritis): The most frequent type of arthritis in children under 17 is young RA.

 
What are the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis? 

The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include:

1. Joint pain, along with inflammation and swelling
2. Joint stiffness, especially in the mornings or after lengthy periods of sitting
3. Excessive fatigue and excessive sleepiness
4. Abnormalities and loss of joint function

Rheumatoid arthritis affects each person differently. In most people, joint symptoms may progress over several years. In others, rheumatoid arthritis may bolt. Few people may have rheumatoid arthritis for a short time before going into relapses (a time with no symptoms). We understand all about cartilage; it functions as a shock absorber between the joints. Severe inflammation causes the destruction and wearing down of the cartilage, which causes joint deformities. However, specific cells and chemicals in the immune system work in the joints, get circulated and cause a few symptoms throughout the body, which aids this process. The intensity of the symptoms might range from minor to severe. 
 
When should I meet the doctor for rheumatoid arthritis? 
If you have any possible rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.

1. If one or more joints get inflamed or stiff,

1. If you have reddened or warm-to-the-touch joints,

1. If you have any concerns about joint soreness or stiffness.

1. If you have trouble moving joints or doing daily tasks.

1. If you are concerned about your joint discomfort,

1. If you have joint pain that lasts three days or longer,

If you experience persistent joint pain or swelling that does not improve and is left untreated, RA can lead to irreversible joint degeneration and physical limitations. 
 

Happy arthritic couple jogging

How do rheumatologists go about diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis?
Rheumatologists diagnose RA by assessing your symptoms, conducting a physical examination, and reviewing the results of X-rays, scans, and blood tests. Diagnosis can be challenging as there's no definitive test. Your doctor will observe for swollen joints and evaluate joint mobility. If RA is suspected, consult a specialist and undergo additional blood tests to confirm the diagnosis.

The pathologist will perform the following blood tests: 

• Blood tests

• Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)

• C-reactive protein (CRP)

• Full blood count

• Rheumatoid factor, RA factor, and anti-CCP antibodies

• Scans include X-rays indicating changes in your joints, ultrasound scans, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans—pictures of your joints produced using strong magnetic fields and radio waves. 

 
What Is the Best Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis? 
The earlier the start of treatment, the more likely it is to work.
There are three principal ways to treat rheumatoid arthritis: 

• Medicines

• Physical therapies

• Surgery.

There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis. However, several new medications are effective in treating RA; they reduce patient symptoms and bone abnormalities.
 
Conclusion 
Chronic rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes pain, swelling, and joint stiffness. Rheumatoid arthritis can affect anyone at any age, but it is more frequent in women in their forties and fifties. There are three types of rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis has no known cure. Rheumatoid arthritis is most frequent in people between 20 and 50, but it can also affect youngsters. 

FAQs 
What is the most potent natural anti-inflammatory drug?
The potent anti-inflammatory properties of natural Omega-3 fatty acids, abundant in fatty fish like cod, make them invaluable supplements. They have the strong potential to alleviate many inflammatory conditions, including vascular inflammation.

Which genes handle RA?
Individuals possessing the HLA-DR4 gene have a higher predisposition to developing rheumatoid arthritis. 
What exactly is the immune system, and how does it operate? 

• Experts divide the immune system into two parts: The innate (present at birth) and 
• Adaptive (formed over time) immune systems. 

The natural immune system's cells assault foreign invaders and release poisonous chemicals to kill them. It also sends out other signals to enlist the help of inflammatory cells.
 
What function does the immune system play in the development of RA? 
Our immune system is a complex network of cells that guards us against infectious diseases while also keeping an eye out for damage to our cells. The system occasionally goes haywire and misinterprets signals. As a result, our immune system loses its ability to distinguish its body and begins to "fight" it. Autoimmune (self-immune) diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, result from inflammation of the joints.