What is Rheumatoid Arthritis and How Does It Affect the Body?

If you are experiencing a surge of pains that seem to center around your joints that has now signs of leaving any time soon, causing a large amount of swelling, redness and even a bit of stiffness, go to the closest health clinic you can find as there might be a strong possibility that you have a case of Rheumatoid Arthritis. It has also been shown to affect the eyes, skin and lungs of a patient if it has not been treated in a while.

If treatment has not been delivered in time, the condition will spiral out of control, giving rise to many more conditions that can cause a lot of pain to the bone, which give rise to abnormalities found within the joints of the infected individuals. This will worsen your daily activities and chores as you require all of your limbs to be at their best functionality. There has been no indication for a cure to Rheumatoid Arthritis so far, and the best course of action at the moment would be to keep very close eyes on your joints if you ever experience some form of discomfort, as the earlier the diagnosis and treatment, the better the odds are at keeping the symptoms that may develop at bay.

Physical therapy is by far the best way to mediate any damage that Rheumatoid Arthritis has done, improving the functionality of the affected joints by a very significant margin, as well as helping lower any pain or swelling that might have been caused by the condition as well as make the mobility of the joints much better, effectively reducing the burden.

Why is a comprehensive treatment plan important?

Having a comprehensive treatment plan to help combat the effects of Rheumatoid Arthritis is a very important part to have, as it has been known to impart a lot of key points that are essential in your daily routine that can help lower the stress that can lead to better lifestyle changes for you to impart and take part in. By having a comprehensive treatment plan, you can find much easier steps to counteract a lot of the stress that comes with maintaining the affected areas much better and in a healthier and beneficial manner. Through earlier and slightly aggressive treatment plans, the progression of the damages done to the joint have been slowed down significantly, and with the management of the amount of inflammation and pain that is centered on the affected joints, individuals have shown to be quite engaged and active even with Rheumatoid Arthritis building up in their bodies.

Included with the plan is also the recommendation of trying some drugs that have been heavily modified to combat the process of Rheumatoid Arthritis, a full rundown of the tests, both physical therapy-based and occupational therapy-based. A lot of exercise is required as well as the inclusion of lifestyle changes that can help remove any bad effects that are in your body, such as smoking habits as well as alcohol consumption and sticking to a very healthy diet.

What are the causes for having Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Gene-Related

Most cases of Rheumatoid Arthritis have been shown to be quite similar to how the family members of a patient might have gotten it directly from them. Most of the time it has rarely been shown to be inherited through older family members. The gene marker within the HLA-DRB1 is shown to be very risky in getting a much higher likelihood of developing Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Hormones

This type of Arthritis has been found many more times in women in comparison to men, and this may be because the hormonal changes that they go through, especially menopause has had some effect on the overall progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis in their body, although how it does so is still unknown at the moment.

Age

There have been several cases where age has been a defining factor for the diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis where it can be occur at any time and at any age, but the most amount of cases where age comes into the play have all happened to people in their late 50s to at most their Early 60s, which has been by far the most common age groups to receive them.

Smoking

people who suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis have also been heavily affected by the way they consistently used to smoke before getting the condition. It has also been shown that smoking can create a huge set of anti-bodies that have been heavily associated with the formation of Rheumatoid Arthritis in the body.

Obesity

Younger individuals who have not yet reached their full potential at adulthood that are also suffering from types of obesity have also had major effects that have led to them having Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Factors related to the environment

In case the environment has been shown to be polluted with many harsh pollutants, including but not limited to Silica, asbestos and even several types of air pollution that might have led to the rise in risk for an individual getting Rheumatoid Arthritis.

What are some of the most common symptoms that indicate you have Rheumatoid Arthritis?

The most common symptoms that come in relation to Rheumatoid Arthritis is the searing pain that occurs as you feel the bones convulse and turn crooked, the intense amounts of swelling that happen alongside the pain as well as the joints that have grown in proportion. Other symptoms that prominently show themselves are the increasing loss of appetite as well as the high fever with major temperatures exceeding 100 degree Fahrenheit and an almost symmetrical pattern that follows the swelling of certain joints and makes them very sensitive and warm to the touch.

How does Rheumatoid Arthritis progress over time?

There are currently 4 stages of Rheumatoid Arthritis, and each stage has its own conditions and issues that increase over time if it is not treated properly. Though most of the progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis is never really linear, there are still a few important symptoms that happen to occur in almost every stage.

The Early Stages

The only symptoms that actually occur during these times are the joints showing a bit of stiffness and swelling that soon overtakes small portions of the body, such as both the hands and the feet.

The Moderate Stages

The pain starts to become a lot more apparent than before, now affecting your joints much more aggressively and even potentially causing major swelling and red, sensitive skin around the border of the affected joint.

The Severe Stage

The affected joints are now permanently affected with constant amounts of piercing pain, which has now been amplified due to not being able to have a minimum amount of ranged motion present in the joint area and has become extremely stiff to the body.

The End-Game Stage

This stage can potentially alter your life forever, as constant and relentless amounts of excruciating pain can be felt throughout the body, and some of the affected joints can also fuse together, creating many issues and problems for the mobility and motion of the body in general.

What is the importance of early diagnosis?

Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis in your body as soon as there are signs and symptoms as early as possible can be extremely efficient if done correctly. To prevent the onset of immobile joints and disjointed bones, you will need to find several ways to improve the addition of home lifestyle and your own health. Since this is a very progressive disease, any form of intervention has a chance of slowing it down indefinitely to prevent the start of potential inflammation across the affected joint as well as likely stopping any further long-term conditions. There are some extremely important blood tests that are labeled as important that you might need to take in order for a better understanding of your position: -

The Rheumatoid Factor Test

This allows the body to check whether RF, which is an antibody, is present in the blood of an infected individual.

The Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Test

The test is responsible for scouring the body in search of the anti-CCP antibodies, which are responsible for having a rather strong connection with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate Test

The ESR test is responsible for measuring the rate of RBCs present in a blood sample, and in which an increased amount has been known to cause plenty of inflammation in the body.

The C - reactive protein Test

This test is used to identify a response by the liver in relation to inflammation.

What are the goals of Rheumatoid Arthritis treatments?

Lowering the levels of inflammation and swelling around the affected joint is made possible by a bunch of medications that is taken to reduce the sensitivity surround the joint, adjusting the lifestyle that makes your life much easier and healthier, and even therapies, that have proven time and again to have an impact on the amount of relief you feel after a bout of physical therapy.

Regular exercise has also been a massive help in lowering the effects of Rheumatoid Arthritis, such as low level exercises, that have major influences in strengthening the body’s muscle coordination with the affected joints as well as practicing yoga and other similar activities that act as stress reduction routines, diminishing any factor that can severely affect your joints and progress the Rheumatoid Arthritis in your body.

What are the different ways to manage Rheumatoid Arthritis?

By keeping a sharp eye for any indication of Flares, which act as periods of increased stress activity surrounding the inflamed joint, which are very easy to notice once you find the visible signs that make themselves apparent, such as overexertion. They are also unpredictable at times, which may lead to some confusion if you are not prepared. Increased joint pain, higher amounts of swelling and stiffness before each joint are major indicators for Flares.

Self care is another way to effectively manage Rheumatoid Arthritis, such as simply taking efficient rest to slightly lessen the numbness or pain you may be experiencing at the time, having unique therapies that are made for heating you up or cooling you down. It is also recommended that you always find a way to exercise as much as possible, to keep the blood circulating throughout your body. Get proper communication done between you and a healthcare team regarding any other exercises that you are required to do.

Try and Get Emotional Health Support.

There are several different ways to keep your mind out of the terrible pain and uncomfortable experience you may have during your tenure dealing with Rheumatoid Arthritis. The first one is having a much more positive lifestyle around your body. From proper eating habits to a more elaborate stress reduction method, taking care of any potential medications and medical checkups that are required by you.

Taking care of your mental health is also a very important aspect of coping against Rheumatoid Arthritis, as people who suffer from deep depression and anxiety disorders have had plenty of faults and problems while trying to combat the condition. The intense pain that many individuals suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis go through every day takes a massive toll on their mind, leading them to make terrible decisions that they would not do with a clear mind.

Lastly, by having a supportive group to go to every day, you will feel directly at home, knowing that there are many others who are going through the same progress you are. There are also a plethora of online groups that have many experiences that you can reminisce with as you battle Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Conclusion

Try and have a positive outlook while going through the procedures that have been provided to you by medical experts to lessen the pain and swelling caused by Rheumatoid Arthritis. The effective strategies that are also given for you to follow are a fundamental part of getting through the tension and pain. Follow simple exercises meant to loosen the pain and sensitivity around the joint and keep a lookout for any negative thoughts that may arise during the different sections of the strategy.

Medical Disclaimer – The information that has been written is only to be used for educational purposes. There has been no information presented by this website, be it tests, images and graphics, which should be taken as professional medical advice. Always consult with your doctor regarding any medical advice that may relate to your condition.