What is it rheumatism or rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
| Rheumatold arthritis (RA) |
Definition
What is it rheumatism or rheumatoid arthritis (RA)?
Rheumatoid arthritis is the medical term for rheumatic diseases. Understanding rheumatoid arthritis or rheumatism is an inflammation in the joints (arthritis) due to autoimmune disorders or immune systems that attack the tissues of Your own body.
Unlike osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis is a condition that affects the lining of the joints (synovium). This condition can lead to chronic pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joints, and can cause bone erosion and deformed joints.
Rheumatic diseases most often affect the joints of the hands, wrists, feet, and knees. In rare cases, this disease can affect other parts of the body, such as the lungs, eyes, heart, blood vessels, skin, and nerves.
Rheumatism can affect the ability of sufferers in performing daily activities like writing, opening a bottle, wear clothes, and bring the goods. Inflammation of the joints of the hips, knees, or feet can make it difficult walking, bending, or standing.
How common a disease these conditions?
Rheumatoid arthritis is one disease that is often experienced by the elderly (seniors). However, this disease can also be experienced by young adults, teenagers, even children. While women are known to be more at risk of developing arthritis than men.
You can reduce the possibility of suffering from this disease by lowering Your risk factors. Discuss with Your doctor for more information.
Signs & Symptoms
What are the signs and symptoms of rheumatism?
Signs and symptoms-symptoms of arthritis can vary depending on the level of severity and can even come and go at a time. However, the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis that commonly occur, namely:
- Pain in the joints.
- The joints feel stiff.
- The joints are swollen or feels tender.
- Fatigue.
- Fever.
- Weight loss or loss of appetite.
Rheumatism the early stages tends to affect small joints, especially the joints that attach fingers to hands and Your feet. As the disease progresses, symptoms often spread to other joints, such as wrists, knees, ankles, elbows, hips, and shoulders.
In the majority of cases, the symptoms can occur in the joints the same on both sides of Your body.
Chances are there signs and symptoms of rheumatism that are not mentioned above. If You have concerns about a particular symptom, please consult with Your doctor.
When to see a doctor?
If You have signs or symptoms above or other questions, please do not hesitate to consult to the doctor. You can visit a general practitioner first to find out the cause of Your symptoms.
However, if the symptoms You have lead to problems of the joints, such as rheumatoid arthritis, the doctor may refer You to a specialist in diseases (rheumatologist) to ensure such conditions.
Remember, each person's body is different. So, always consult to the doctor to handle Your health condition.
Causes & risk factors
What are the causes of rheumatism or rheumatoid arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis or rheumatism is one of the autoimmune diseases. That is, the disease is caused by the immune system or immunity is attacking healthy body tissues.
In patients with rheumatism, the immune system attacking the synovium, the layer of membranes surrounding the joints. This condition causes the joints to become inflamed and swollen, causing pain.
Although the autoimmune disorder is believed as the cause of rheumatism, but until now the researchers do not yet know what factors can trigger the disorder.
What increases one's risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis?
The cause of rheumatism is not known for sure. However, there are some factors that can increase Your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis is:
- Gender women.
- Middle-aged.
- Family history.
- Obesity.
- The habit of smoking.
- Environmental exposure, such as asbestos or silica.
Not having risk factors doesn't mean You can't be affected by this disease. These factors are just a reference only. Consult Your doctor for more information.
Complications
What are the complications or effects that may arise from rheumatic diseases?
The disease rheumatoid arthritis can lead to some other health condition, more danger and sometimes can be life threatening. Some of the complications of the disease rheumatoid arthritis or rheumatism is:
1. Osteoporosis
Rheumatic diseases following with its treatment can increase the risk of osteoporosis, a condition that weakens the bones and makes the bones become vulnerable to fracture.
2. Rheumatoid nodules
Rheumatoid nodules are hard lumps that appear under the skin. These lumps most often form around pressure points, such as elbows, but can also be formed in any part of the body, including the lungs.
3. Sjogren's Syndrome
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis are more likely to have Sjogren's syndrome, i.e. abnormalities that lowering the amount of moisture in the eyes and mouth, causing the eyes and mouth become dry.
4. Infection
Rheumatic disease and the treatment undertaken can damage the immune system. As for the condition can increase the risk of infection.
5. Carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is pressure on the nerves in Your wrist. If rheumatoid arthritis affects the joints in the wrists, the inflammation can press on the nerves in the hands and fingers causing carpal tunnel syndrome with the symptoms of pain, numbness, and tingling in the fingers and part of hand.
6. Heart problems
Rheumatism may increase the risk of occurrence of heart problems. Because this disease can cause blockage and hardening of the arterial blood vessels, as well as inflammation of the sac that encloses Your heart.
7. Diseases of the lungs
A person with the disease RA can run the risk of experiencing inflammation in the lung tissues, which can lead to symptoms of shortness of breath.
8. Lymphoma
Lymphoma is one type of blood cancer that develops in the lymphatic system. If You have RA, You are more at risk of developing this disease.
Diagnosis and treatment
The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult Your doctor.
What are the tests usually done to diagnose this condition?
Rheumatic disease is difficult to diagnose in early stages because initial symptoms are very similar to other diseases. To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor will usually ask you Your medical history and perform a physical examination to look for signs of this disease as well as check reflexes and muscle strength You.
After that, the doctor will do some tests or examination including blood tests and imaging tests, such as X-rays, MRI, or ultrasound. Imaging tests can look for signs of damage (erosion) on the ends of the bones in the joints as well as help the doctor assess the severity of the disease RA that You are experiencing.
While blood tests are generally done consists of test erythrocyte sedimentation rate (erythrocyte sedimentation rate/ESR) or C-reactive protein (CRP) can indicate the presence of inflammation in the body, a full blood test, as well as tests to look for rheumatoid factor and antibodies anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP).
What are the treatment options for rheumatism?
The best way to treat rheumatoid arthritis is to use medical treatment as well as support, such as therapy and lifestyle changes. Some of the drug and treatment is generally given, namely:
- NSAIDS, such as naproxen and ibuprofen to reduce pain and inflammation.
- Drug disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), like methotrexate, leflunomide, hydroxychloroquine, and sulfasalazine, to slow down the progression of the disease and protect joints from permanent damage.
- Corticosteroids, such as prednisone, to reduce inflammation and pain, and slow joint damage.
- Physical therapy or occupational to help keep Your joints remain flexible.
- Operations or surgery, especially in the more severe cases. Surgical procedure for arthritis may be generally in the form of synovectomy, joint replacement, repair of the tendons around the joint, or a merger (fusion) of the joints.
There may be other treatment methods that can be done the doctor to overcome arthritis. Please ask your doctor for more information.
Whether someone can be cured of the disease of rheumatoid arthritis?
Disease rheumatoid arthritis or rheumatism is not a disease that can be cured in total. That is, if You have this disease, the possibility of full recovery from rheumatoid arthritis is a zero great.
However, reporting from the NHS, You can still control the symptoms and reduce the risk of joint damage and prevent complications of rheumatism with undergoing treatment as early as possible, including medications, lifestyle changes, and treatment and other support.
Change in lifestyle & home remedies
What are the changes-lifestyle changes or home remedies that can be done to overcome arthritis?
Some lifestyle changes and treatment You can do to cope with rheumatoid arthritis is:
- Regular light exercise to help strengthen the muscles around the joints, such as walking.
- Get some rest. Adequate sleep will help reduce inflammation and pain, as well as fatigue.
- Hot compresses or ice. Hot compresses can help relax muscles and relieve pain, while cold compresses can reduce the pain and swelling.
- Eating foods that are recommended as well as avoid being abstinence, such as food containing omega-3 and food for other rheumatism.
- Therapy or natural ways to treat rheumatoid arthritis, such as acupuncture, massage, tai chi, or herbal remedies rheumatism.
- If you have any questions, please consult with your doctor for the best solution of the conditions that You face.
Prevention
How to prevent rheumatic diseases?
Some risk factors of rheumatoid arthritis is indeed can not be changed, such as age, gender, or family history. Nevertheless, the prevention of rheumatism can still be done to avoid some other risk factors that can be changed.
Several ways to prevent arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis is:
- Regular exercise to strengthen muscles and joints, improve flexibility of the body, as well as maintain ideal weight remains.
- Lower the weight. Obesity is one risk factor for RA. Therefore, we recommend that You lose weight and keep the weight remains ideal when You obesity, for the prevention of rheumatism.
- Quit smoking. Smoking also is a risk factor for RA that is other. With stop smoking and avoid exposure to cigarette smoke, You can lower the risk of the occurrence of this disease.
- Consumption of balanced nutritious diet, including calcium and vitamin D, which is good for the health of bones and joints, as well as avoiding and limiting foods that cause inflammation.