Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) - Research Paper Example

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease that causes tissue inflammation around the joints such as the tendons, muscles and ligaments. It affects any joint of the body. It is common in wrist and finger joints. A joint is where two bones join and allows body parts to move. Inflammation of joints is arthritis. This disease usually occurs in more than one joint and affects any joint in our body. If one wrist or knee has RA, it often affects the other wrist. It is a systemic illness and can last for years. Some patients may experience this disease for a long period without symptoms and some may experience damage and deformity to the joints early in the disease. In some patients it progresses with time. People may have this disease for only a short time and its symptoms might come and go. Its severe form lasts a lifetime. RA is an autoimmune disease that means the body immune system is attacking its own tissues. Our immune system uses antibodies to protect us against diseases and infections. However, if people have RA, the antibodies attack the joints. This progressive disease disables the functions of joints and eventually causes destruction of bones and ligaments. Rheumatoid arthritis is a common rheumatic disease in women than in men. This disease starts at any age, usually after 40 and before 60 years of age. In some families, it transmits genetically from parents to children. It affects multiple family members as genetically inherited. This disease is most common in older people, but children and young adults can also get it. Research shows that there is no exact cause of RA. Doctors are not sure what triggers antibodies to attack the joints. Their research shows that the main cause of this disease is that a person’s immune system attacks own body tissues and causes infections. RA may runs in the family. Genes, environment and hormones may cause this disease. People with rheumatoid arthritis experiences chronic swelling, stiffness, redness and pain in the joints that causes severe joint damage. Patients with this disease may feel tired, sick and sometimes suffer from high fever. It is very difficult to diagnose this disease, as its symptoms are same as other kinds of minor joint diseases and problems. There is no single test to detect this chronic disease. The full symptoms of this disease take time to develop. Common symptoms are painful and swollen joints especially in hands, feet and knees. Patients feel difficulty in moving joints. Rheumatoid nodules or hard bumps just under the skin near the joints are commonly observed. Red, puffy hands, fatigue, fever and loss of appetite are symptoms experienced by most of the RA patients. RA usually affects several joints at the same time. Usually hands, wrists, feet and knees are the first joints affected. Patient’s hands deform. Feet and wrist may bend or twist. With the passage of time, it affects the larger joints, such as jaws, shoulders and hip joints. RA causes other health problems. It also affects the other parts of the body, such as the lining of the heart and lungs. To take away RA chronic pain, doctors have many ways to treat this disease. Doctor’s proper treatment and guidance helps patients to reduce swelling and slowdown or stop joint damage. Treatment includes exercise, medicine, surgery, lifestyle changes, regular doctor visits and alternate therapies. These treatments help patients to feel better and stay active. Doctor’s self-management programs help patients to learn about the disease. Eventually they feel more control over the disease and easily cope with their physical problems. By taking care of joints, patients can relax, reduce pain and can lead an active life. Best way to reduce pain is to change lifestyle by keeping a good balance between rest and exercise. Walking, gentle exercise and mild water aerobics strengthen the muscles. Applying hot and cold packs to painful joints helps in blood circulation. Taking hot shower reduces joint stiffness. By taking care of joints, lowering stress and eating a healthy diet, RA patients feel much better. Most of the people take prescribed medicines for the treatment of RA. Patients use medicines to reduce pain and swelling. Drugs treatments may help to stop the disease from getting worse. Doctors prescribe the medicine on checking patient’s general health condition. Usually aspirin, ibuprofen is prescribed to reduce inflammation. Tylenol is a pain reducer and helps patients to feel better. These medicines reduce pain and swellings but they do not slow the damage of the joints. There are side effects of the drugs so these medications should be taken wisely. Immunosuppressant helps fight RA. These medicines help in lowering immune system’s response to infections. Steroids slow down the joint damage, but its longer use causes side effects such as diabetes. Sometimes doctors advise surgery for RA treatment. It helps to regain movement of the joints and corrects deformities. For severe joint damage, there are many surgeries for the patients. In severe conditions, surgery is the only solution to reduce pain and helps joints work better. Surgeries help patients to do daily activities of life. There are many benefits as well as risks of surgeries at the same time. It is very important for the patients to visit doctor regularly. They guide the patients about the medicine and drugs. They check if their prescribed medications are working well or not. The monitor drug’s side effects and for how long one can take the medicine. Doctors do regular urine tests, blood tests, joint fluid analysis or x-rays that help to prescribe a change in treatment if needed. Therapies, a multivitamins and special diet helps to reduce pain and stress. Taking good balanced diet and therapies are not harmful. Work Cited Moots, Robert J, and Nigel Jones. Rheumatoid Arthritis. 2004. London UK: Elsevier Limited. Rindfleisch, JA, and Muller, D. Diagnosis and Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis. 2005. Akil M, and Amos RS. ABC of Rheumatology. Rheumatoid arthritis-I: clinical features and diagnosis. 1995. BMJ. William C, and Shiel Jr. Rheumatoid Arthritis. Arthritic Joints. 2010. Koehn C, Palmer T, and Esdaile J. Rheumatoid Arthritis plan to win. 2002. New York USA: Oxford University Press. Read More