Rheumatoid Arthritis

There are over 100 forms of arthritis affecting Americans today and one of the most known, but not necessarily the most common, is Rheumatoid Arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis or RA, is a form of inflammatory arthritis and an autoimmune disease, meaning the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. This form of arthritis can not be cured, making it a chronic disease. In some people the disease is continuously active and gets worse over time while others enjoy long periods of remission were they experience no disease activity or symptoms at all. No one fully understands why in rheumatoid arthritis the immune system – which is designed to protect our health by attacking foreign cells like viruses and bacteria – instead attacks the body’s own tissues. It specifically attacks 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 can occur throughout the body. Many would love to know how this form of arthritis forms so they can stop it but what causes RA are unknown. Doctors and researchers  have said it had something to do with ones genes but not everyone with these specific genes have RA.

What is astonishing about Rheumatoid arthritis is the common people who get it. An estimated 1.3 million people in the United States have RA. People of every race and ethnic group, men, women, and children get RA. There are of course some people who are more likely to get it than others like, females, native Americans, smokers, people between the age of 30 and 50, and people related to people with RA. Researchers have also found many other possibilities like obesity, a history of blood transfusions, a short fertile period in women, and making to much or too little of certain hormones. Although RA is not curable, treatment is still necessary. The reason for treatment is to reduce joint inflammation and pain, maximize joint function, and prevent destruction and deformity. It is necessary to get treatment because it improves function, it stops damage at the joints and most importantly prevents work disability. Treatment for this RA involves a combination of medications, rest, joint-strengthening exercises, joint protection, and patient education. All treatments are different because it goes according to many factors like, disease activity, the types of joint involved, general health, age, and patients occupation. There are two classes of medications: fast acting "first-line drugs" and slow acting "second-line drugs". RA can be destructive but it varies among affected individuals. Some can manage it with rest plus pain control and anti-inflammatory medications alone and in some cases with severe joint deformity, surgery may be necessary.

References

 

"Rheumatoid Arthritis - PubMed Health." A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia., 2011. Web. 27 Nov. 2011. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001467/>.

"Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms, Causes, Treatment - How Is Rheumatoid Arthritis Treated on MedicineNet." Www.medicinenet.com. Ed. Melissa Conrad Stoppler. William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR, 27 Nov. 2011. Web. 27 Nov. 2011. <http://www.medicinenet.com/rheumatoid_arthritis/page4.htm>.

 "What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?" Arthritis Foundation | Symptoms Treatments | Prevention Tips | Pain Relief Advice. Arthritis Foundation, 2011. Web. 27 Nov. 2011. <http://www.arthritis.org/types-what-is-rheumatoid-arthritis.php>.