Rheumatoid Arthritis - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an unremitting disease with no known cure. Despite the fact that the disease is progressive, newer disease-modifying drugs may be able to slow or even stop its progression. Modern medical science has developed many effective treatments for RA that not only help manage ailments like joint pain and stiffness but also stop the disease from progressing and resulting in permanent damage.
Our orthopedic expert, Dr. Muthana Sartawi, believes that early rheumatoid arthritis treatment is critical because any joint damage that has already occurred cannot be reversed.
In this article, we will give you some insights about rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, the causes and what can be done to treat it.
What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which your own immune system attacks the tissue lining your joints because it does not recognize it as a part of your body. Some joints become swollen and painful as a result of this.
Rheumatoid Arthritis typically affects smaller joints, such as your hands and feet, but it can also affect larger joints – your knees and hips. This tissue damage can lead to chronic or long-term pain, unsteadiness (lack of balance), and deformity.
RA can also adversely affect other tissues and organs, for example, the lungs, heart, and eyes.
Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis develops when white blood cells, which normally protect the body against foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses, enter the thin tissue that lines the synovial joints. This thin tissue thickens, causing swelling, redness, warmth, and pain in the synovial joint.
The inflamed synovium can cause cartilage and bone damage within the joint, as well as weakening of supportive muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
The inflamed synovium can cause cartilage and bone damage within the joint, as well as weakening of supportive muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
When it comes to the exact Rheumatoid Arthritis causes, researchers aren’t sure about them. According to them, the immune system invades the synovium, but genes and environmental factors are thought to play a role in the development of RA.
According to research, people who have certain genetics, particularly the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes, have a significantly increased risk of developing RA.
Also Read: Types of Arthritis you must know about
Some of the genetic factors include:
- Female Hormones
- Exposure to specific types of dust and fibers
- Second-hand smoke exposure
- Obesity that accelerates the progression of disability in people with RA.
Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
The following are the most common rheumatoid arthritis symptoms:
- Swelling, pain, and heat in the joints, typically beginning in the smaller joints of the hands or feet
- Stiffness in the joints, particularly in the morning
- Constant mental and physical tiredness (fatigue)
- Same joints on both sides are affected
Weight loss, inflammation of other body parts (such as the lungs or eyes), and rheumatoid nodules (fleshy lumps below the elbows or on hands or feet) are less common symptoms.
Rheumatoid arthritis can strike at any age, but it is most common between the ages of 30 and 60. Women are more likely to be affected than men. This condition progresses, and severity varies from person to person, and the symptoms may vary from day to day.
This is a flare, also known as a flare-up, that is unpredictable and appears out of nowhere.
How is rheumatoid arthritis diagnosed?
While no single test can accurately diagnose RA, doctors consider a number of factors when assessing a patient for the disease.
Our doctor will typically begin the diagnostic process by taking your medical history and carrying out a physical exam. He may then ask you about your symptoms in order to look for RA signs, such as prolonged joint swelling and morning stiffness that can last a minimum of half an hour after you wake up.
Blood Tests – Our doctor will order blood tests to look for rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs), which are specific markers for RA and may indicate the presence of the disease. You can have symmetrical inflammatory arthritis with or without systemic inflammatory markers.
Imaging Tests – Imaging tests like X-rays, ultrasounds, and magnetic resonance imaging scans can help a doctor identify if your joints have been damaged or detect joint inflammation, erosion, and fluid buildup.
Also Read: What is the best treatment for knee osteoarthritis?
Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment
Medications
You may be taking the following medications:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to control inflammation and provide pain relief.
- Supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids. This is a type of fat found naturally in foods like certain fish that can be taken as a food supplement to help with pain and stiffness.
- DMARDs (disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs) to control your overactive immune system
- Biological disease-modifying drugs that work by controlling your immune system, but in a much more targeted manner.
Injections
Corticosteroid injections can help you manage your pain and stiffness during flare-ups. These can be taken as tablets or injected into a joint by the doctor to relieve pain.
Surgical Intervention
When joint deterioration and pain are severe, or there is a risk of losing overall function, surgery may be required. It can also repair cartilage and bone destruction caused by the disease’s later stages.
Consult our orthopedic expert and surgeon – Dr. Muthana Sartawi, for all your Rheumatoid arthritis issues
Dealing with Rheumatoid Arthritis can be a debilitating condition. Thus, consulting a thorough specialist is the right thing to do.
Our orthopedic expert, Dr. Muthana Sartawi, can be an ideal choice for you. With his experience and strong know-how in orthopedic care and surgeries, he has helped countless patients around the world get back to living a healthy lifestyle free from pain and discomfort associated with their condition.
Moreover, if you have been recommended surgery, Dr. Sartawi, as a surgeon, can guide you through safe and effective knee and joint surgical techniques along with super speedy recovery. His dedication to providing quality care makes him stand out among other orthopedists and surgeons, giving you peace of mind that your health is in good hands.