An Guide To Rheumatoid Arthritis

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Thursday, April 29th, 2010 Subscribe To Our Feed

Rheumatoid arthritis can be a very painful condition that unfortunately doesn’t have a known cure at this point. This results from the immune system attacking the body’s joints, causing inflammation and pain. In some cases, the immune system causes damage to organs as well. Professionals are unsure why the immune system reacts in this manner, nor do they know how to completely end the disease. However, in recent years tremendous progress has been made to limit the advancement of rheumatoid arthritis and managing the symptoms. Not only are adults affected, but children are as well which is referred to as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

Symptoms

Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms frequently start in smaller joints and work their way toward larger ones. Swelling and joint pain are common symptoms, as well as stiffness after sitting or lying down, and red hands. Other symptoms might include extreme fatigue, low grade fever or weight loss. If you are currently experiencing any of these symptoms, make it a priority to see a doctor as soon as you can to get properly diagnosed. The sooner rheumatoid arthritis is diagnosed and treatment begins, the more effective the treatment options can be.

Diagnoses

A number of tests are available to help in providing the correct diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. For instance, a blood test can be administered to measure the erythrocyte sedimentation rate levels, which refers to the presence of inflammation in the body. Another blood test used is one that looks for specific antibodies in the bloodstream that may mean the person has the disease.

However, some people with rheumatoid arthritis do not have these antibodies, so the test is not conclusive. If rheumatoid arthritis is suspected, the doctor may also take a sample of joint fluid. In order to determine the amount of joint damage done, X-rays may also be taken.

Treatment Options

The treatment can start as soon as the official diagnoses has been made. The purpose of medications is to manage pain and delay the advancement of the arthritis. Many new medications for rheumatoid arthritis have come on the market in recent years, and some have proven quite effective in helping patients achieve a higher quality of life. However, if joint damage becomes too severe, surgery may also be recommended to allow the patient to use a particular joint once again. Rheumatoid arthritis therapy has also proven to be effective.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a painful disease that affects many children and adults. Since there is no rheumatoid arthritis cure, patients have to learn to live with it. Fortunately, a patient can live a high quality of life with the treatment advances that have come along recently.

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