Rheumatoid Arthritis What is rheumatoid arthritis?
Rheumatoid Arthritis
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Information that we provide to you below,which include (1) back pain and ways to treat back pain (2) Physical therapy for back pain (3) information on senior doctors to treat back pain (4) and various treatments for back pain .therapy for back pain (5) The causes of back pain Tutorials (6) lower back pain pain upper back pain .center of the back .Information we come out of specialists and .senior doctors and prime locations .specialized in the treatment of back pain Put General Information and not any copyrights and mention source on other sites .But all these topics to sing about consulting a doctor continued Disclaimer.
Disclaimer : All content within (Back pain) Health is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. The (Back pain) is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based on the content of the (Back pain) Health website. The (Back pain) is not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does it endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites.Always consult your own GP if you're in any way concerned about your health.
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What is rheumatoid arthritis?
Arthritis is a complex family of musculoskeletal disorders consisting of more than 100 different diseases or conditions that destroy joints, bones, muscles, cartilage and other connective tissues, hampering or halting physical movement. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a form of inflammatory arthritis and an autoimmune disease. In RA, for reasons no one fully understands, the immune system – which is designed to protect our health by attacking foreign cells such as viruses and bacteria – instead attacks the body’s own tissues, specifically the synovium, a thin membrane that lines the joints. As a result of the attack, fluid builds up in the joints, causing pain in the joints and inflammation that’s systemic – meaning it can occur throughout the body.
An estimated 1.3 million people in the United States have RA—that’s almost 1 percent of the nation’s adult population. There are nearly three times as many women as men with the disease. In women, RA most commonly begins between the ages of 30 and 60. It often occurs later in life for men.
Rheumatoid Arthritis : What causes it?
The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is not yet known. Most scientists agree that a combination of genetic and environmental factors is responsible. Researchers have identified genetic markers that cause a tenfold greater probability of developing rheumatoid arthritis. These genes are associated with the immune system, chronic inflammation or the development and progression of RA. Still, not all people with these genes develop rheumatoid arthritis and not all people with the disease have these genes.
Researchers are also investigating infectious agents, such as bacteria or viruses, which may trigger the disease in someone with a genetic propensity for it. Other suspects include female hormones (70 percent of people with RA are women) and the body’s response to stressful events such as physical or emotional trauma. Smoking may also play a role – it not only boosts the risk of developing RA among people with a specific gene, it can also increase the disease’s severity and reduce the effectiveness of treatment
Rheumatoid Arthritis :What are the effects?
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease, meaning it can’t be cured. Most people with RA experience intermittent bouts of intense disease activity, called flares. In some people the disease is continuously active and gets worse over time. Others enjoy long periods of remission – no disease activity or symptoms at all. Evidence shows that early diagnosis and aggressive treatment to put the disease into remission is the best means of avoiding joint destruction, organ damage and disability.
The symptoms and course of rheumatoid arthritis vary from person to person and can change on a daily basis. Your joints may feel warm to the touch and you might notice a decreased range of motion, as well as inflammation, swelling and pain in the areas around the affected joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is symmetrical, meaning if a joint on one side of the body is affected, the corresponding joint on the other side of the body is also involved. Because the inflammation is systemic, you’re likely to feel fatigued and you may become anemic, lose your appetite and run a low-grade fever.
In the long term, rheumatoid arthritis may affect many different joints and cause damage to cartilage, tendons and ligaments – it can even wear away the ends of your bones. One common outcome is joint deformity and disability. Some people with RA develop rheumatoid nodules; lumps of tissue that form under the skin, often over bony areas exposed to pressure. These occur most often around the elbows but can be found elsewhere on the body, such as on the fingers, over the spine or on the heels. Over time, the inflammation that characterizes RA can also affect numerous organs and internal systems.
Rheumatoid Arthritis :How Is it diagnosed?
To diagnose rheumatoid arthritis, your physician will take a medical history and perform a physical examination. The doctor will look for certain features of RA, including swelling, warmth and limited motion in joints throughout your body, as well as nodules or lumps under the skin. Your doctor may also ask if you have experienced fatigue or an overall feeling of stiffness. The pattern of joints affected by arthritis can help distinguish rheumatoid arthritis from other conditions. Your physician should recommend certain blood tests to identify antibodies, levels of inflammation and other markers that aid diagnosis and assessments. He’ll likely call for X-rays to determine if you have bone loss at the edges of joints – called erosions – combined with loss of joint cartilage.
Although there is no cure for RA, highly effective treatments exist. Once you have a diagnosis, you should begin treatment right away to slow disease progression and lower chances for joint damage.
Rheumatoid Arthritis :What are the treatment options?
Medications used to treat rheumatoid arthritis can be divided into two groups: those that help relieve symptoms and reduce inflammation (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids), and those that can modify the disease or put it in remission (disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and biologic agents). Your physician may recommend using two or more together. Some medications affect the immune system or have other side effects, making careful monitoring very important. Research on new medications is ongoing, with an influx of new drugs into the pipeline.
Engaging in moderate physical activity on a regular basis helps decrease fatigue, strengthen muscles and bones, increases flexibility and stamina, and improves your general sense of well-being. When your symptoms are under control, work with your health-care team to develop a full exercise program that includes stretching for joint flexibility and range of motion, strength training for joint support and aerobic (cardiovascular) exercise for overall health, weight control, muscle strength and energy level.
Rheumatoid Arthritis :What resources are available?
The Arthritis Foundation leads the way in helping people with arthritis live better today and create better tomorrows through new treatments, better access and, ultimately, cures. We do this by:
Funding life-changing research that has restored mobility in patients for more than six decades
Fighting for health care policies that improve the lives of the millions of Americans with arthritis
Partnering with families to provide empowering programs and information
If you are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, some Arthritis Foundation resources that may help you better manage and live with your disease are:
Rheumatoid Arthritis
_____________________________________________________________________
Information that we provide to you below,which include (1) back pain and ways to treat back pain (2) Physical therapy for back pain (3) information on senior doctors to treat back pain (4) and various treatments for back pain .therapy for back pain (5) The causes of back pain Tutorials (6) lower back pain pain upper back pain .center of the back .Information we come out of specialists and .senior doctors and prime locations .specialized in the treatment of back pain Put General Information and not any copyrights and mention source on other sites .But all these topics to sing about consulting a doctor continued Disclaimer.
Disclaimer : All content within (Back pain) Health is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. The (Back pain) is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based on the content of the (Back pain) Health website. The (Back pain) is not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does it endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites.Always consult your own GP if you're in any way concerned about your health.
_______________________________________________________________________________
What is rheumatoid arthritis?
Arthritis is a complex family of musculoskeletal disorders consisting of more than 100 different diseases or conditions that destroy joints, bones, muscles, cartilage and other connective tissues, hampering or halting physical movement. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a form of inflammatory arthritis and an autoimmune disease. In RA, for reasons no one fully understands, the immune system – which is designed to protect our health by attacking foreign cells such as viruses and bacteria – instead attacks the body’s own tissues, specifically the synovium, a thin membrane that lines the joints. As a result of the attack, fluid builds up in the joints, causing pain in the joints and inflammation that’s systemic – meaning it can occur throughout the body.
An estimated 1.3 million people in the United States have RA—that’s almost 1 percent of the nation’s adult population. There are nearly three times as many women as men with the disease. In women, RA most commonly begins between the ages of 30 and 60. It often occurs later in life for men.
Rheumatoid Arthritis : What causes it?
The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is not yet known. Most scientists agree that a combination of genetic and environmental factors is responsible. Researchers have identified genetic markers that cause a tenfold greater probability of developing rheumatoid arthritis. These genes are associated with the immune system, chronic inflammation or the development and progression of RA. Still, not all people with these genes develop rheumatoid arthritis and not all people with the disease have these genes.
Researchers are also investigating infectious agents, such as bacteria or viruses, which may trigger the disease in someone with a genetic propensity for it. Other suspects include female hormones (70 percent of people with RA are women) and the body’s response to stressful events such as physical or emotional trauma. Smoking may also play a role – it not only boosts the risk of developing RA among people with a specific gene, it can also increase the disease’s severity and reduce the effectiveness of treatment
Rheumatoid Arthritis :What are the effects?
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease, meaning it can’t be cured. Most people with RA experience intermittent bouts of intense disease activity, called flares. In some people the disease is continuously active and gets worse over time. Others enjoy long periods of remission – no disease activity or symptoms at all. Evidence shows that early diagnosis and aggressive treatment to put the disease into remission is the best means of avoiding joint destruction, organ damage and disability.
The symptoms and course of rheumatoid arthritis vary from person to person and can change on a daily basis. Your joints may feel warm to the touch and you might notice a decreased range of motion, as well as inflammation, swelling and pain in the areas around the affected joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is symmetrical, meaning if a joint on one side of the body is affected, the corresponding joint on the other side of the body is also involved. Because the inflammation is systemic, you’re likely to feel fatigued and you may become anemic, lose your appetite and run a low-grade fever.
In the long term, rheumatoid arthritis may affect many different joints and cause damage to cartilage, tendons and ligaments – it can even wear away the ends of your bones. One common outcome is joint deformity and disability. Some people with RA develop rheumatoid nodules; lumps of tissue that form under the skin, often over bony areas exposed to pressure. These occur most often around the elbows but can be found elsewhere on the body, such as on the fingers, over the spine or on the heels. Over time, the inflammation that characterizes RA can also affect numerous organs and internal systems.
Rheumatoid Arthritis :How Is it diagnosed?
To diagnose rheumatoid arthritis, your physician will take a medical history and perform a physical examination. The doctor will look for certain features of RA, including swelling, warmth and limited motion in joints throughout your body, as well as nodules or lumps under the skin. Your doctor may also ask if you have experienced fatigue or an overall feeling of stiffness. The pattern of joints affected by arthritis can help distinguish rheumatoid arthritis from other conditions. Your physician should recommend certain blood tests to identify antibodies, levels of inflammation and other markers that aid diagnosis and assessments. He’ll likely call for X-rays to determine if you have bone loss at the edges of joints – called erosions – combined with loss of joint cartilage.
Although there is no cure for RA, highly effective treatments exist. Once you have a diagnosis, you should begin treatment right away to slow disease progression and lower chances for joint damage.
Rheumatoid Arthritis :What are the treatment options?
Medications used to treat rheumatoid arthritis can be divided into two groups: those that help relieve symptoms and reduce inflammation (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids), and those that can modify the disease or put it in remission (disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and biologic agents). Your physician may recommend using two or more together. Some medications affect the immune system or have other side effects, making careful monitoring very important. Research on new medications is ongoing, with an influx of new drugs into the pipeline.
Engaging in moderate physical activity on a regular basis helps decrease fatigue, strengthen muscles and bones, increases flexibility and stamina, and improves your general sense of well-being. When your symptoms are under control, work with your health-care team to develop a full exercise program that includes stretching for joint flexibility and range of motion, strength training for joint support and aerobic (cardiovascular) exercise for overall health, weight control, muscle strength and energy level.
Rheumatoid Arthritis :What resources are available?
The Arthritis Foundation leads the way in helping people with arthritis live better today and create better tomorrows through new treatments, better access and, ultimately, cures. We do this by:
Funding life-changing research that has restored mobility in patients for more than six decades
Fighting for health care policies that improve the lives of the millions of Americans with arthritis
Partnering with families to provide empowering programs and information
If you are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, some Arthritis Foundation resources that may help you better manage and live with your disease are:
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