RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (RA)
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects more than just your joints. It starts from the joints and can spread to other body systems such as skin, eyes, lungs, heart, and blood vessels. In this autoimmune disorder, your immune system mistakenly starts attacking your own body’s tissues.
Unlike the other types of arthritis, RA damages the lining of your joints and causes the formation of painful swelling. The swollen joint can erode, leading to joint deformity. The inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis can damage other parts of the body as well. While the latest treatment modalities have helped in reducing the severity of its symptoms, Rheumatoid Arthritis can still cause physical disabilities.
Signs and Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Following signs and symptoms are the characteristics of this disease:
- Tender, warm and swollen joints
- Fatigue and weakness
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Joint stiffness that is typically severe in the morning
Rheumatoid arthritis starts with attacking smaller joints of the body first — especially the joints connecting your fingers to your hands and your toes to your feet. Gradually, it spreads to the joints such as the wrists, knees, ankles, elbows, hips, and shoulders. Mostly, joints are affected on both sides. Rheumatoid arthritis affects other parts of the body in about 40% of RA patients. These other parts are:
- Skin
- Eyes
- Lungs
- Kidneys
- Salivary glands
- Heart
- Blood vessels
Signs and symptoms of RA vary in intensity for each individual. These symptoms can even come and go. Periods of increased intensity, called flares, fluctuate with periods of relative remission — when the swelling and pain fade or disappear. Gradually, Rheumatoid arthritis leads to joint deformities forcing them to shift out of their place.
Source Link : What is Rheumatoid Arthritis