What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic disease where the lining of the joints become inflamed. This disease can lead to long-term joint damage, chronic pain, the loss of mobility and possibly a permanent disability. Rheumatoid arthritis is a serious and disabling disease which primarily affects women. Rheumatoid Arthritis progresses in three different stages. At first, swelling of the joint lining causes pain, stiffness and inflammation in the affected joint. The second stage of this disease sees the rapid separation and growth of cells that cause the lining of the affected joints to thicken. In the third stage, irritated cells release enzymes that can absorb bone and cartilage. This third stage may cause the joint to misalign, lose its shape, increase pain and reduce movement. Rheumatoid arthritis can start in any joint of the body. It begins in the smaller joints of the fingers, hands and wrists or in the knees and hip joints. For rheumatoid arthritis, joint involvement is usually, but not always, symmetrical. Put forth in clear English—this means that if a joint hurts on the left hand, usually, the same joint will hurt on the right hand. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, it will continue progressing and it will never go away. And, there is no cure—only early diagnosis and treatment is available at this time. Early diagnosis and treatment to minimize joint damage is essential for you to continue having a productive life. While no one wants to have rheumatoid arthritis, advancements in research and drug development help people with rheumatoid arthritis live happier, healthier and fuller lives. Recently it has become clear that Rheumatoid Arthritis has both genetic and environmental origins. An international team of scientists (December 2005) released results of their study in the American Journal of Human Genetics examining genes that may increase the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. They found a link between rheumatoid arthritis and three genes called PTPN22, CTLA4 and PADI4—but gene PTPN22 was the one that they determined was the most likely to cause Rheumatoid Arthritis. Rheumatoid Arthritis is a serious disease. It is crucial that you get an early diagnosis and work with your doctor to find the best treatment for you so that you can live well with it. Just a few years ago, your doctor might have only prescribed an over-the-counter pain reliever, like an analgesic or an anti-inflammatory drug, until your disease became more severe. Now, with the improvement of available medications, doctors know that they have to be more aggressive in the early stages of the disease in order to prevent severe deformity and joint erosion. If you are apprehensive about seeking medication attention at the onset of the early symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, you may want to do research on the internet at the American Arthritis Foundation. They offer a host of services that you may want to consider once you have been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Remember, the earlier you obtain medical assistance for this debilitating disease, the less long-term damage you may have to live with in the future. |
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