Rheumatoid Arthritis Case Study Essay

"Rheumatoid joint inflammation is an interminable infection set apart by irritation of the joints, frequently influencing the hand joints and both sides of the body in the meantime" (Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, 2009).

Diagnostics to help determine this disorder would first be getting an x-ray done, a (ESR) erythrocyte sedimentation rate can be done to determine if there is any inflammation and in this case there would be an increase in the (ESR), also a (RF) rheumatoid factor is performed, this is a blood test to determine how much RF antibody is in the blood which is very helpful to determine if you have RA or an autoimmune disease, if there is an increase then there is most likely a chance of knowing that you have rheumatoid arthritis (MedlinePlus, 2013).

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints. While inflammation of the tissue around the joints and inflammatory arthritis are characteristic features of rheumatoid arthritis, the disease can also cause inflammation and injury in other organs in the

The type of treatment chosen depends on the type of arthritis and the effects it has on the patient as well as the severity of the disease. Other factors to consider are the age of the patient and the joints affected. Bearing in mind that different people exhibit different reactions to different medications, treatment in this case is individualized but includes a combination of joint protection methods and medication. For rheumatoid arthritis, the Initial treatment starts with non steroidal ant inflammatory drugs and other simple analgesic but as the inflammation progresses, slow acting anti rheumatoid drugs which are aimed at modifying the disease are introduced. They are added progressively as the inflammation progresses in order to suppress the process that leads to chronic inflammation (Amin 1995).

The patient is a 72 year old female. She has been experiencing progressively worse pain and stiffness in her joints. She is reports that she is having decreased range of motion, redness, and swelling in her joints. She is reports symptoms occur in the same joints on both sides of her body. She is also reporting the symptoms are worse when she first wakes up in the morning.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic syndrome that is characterized by inflammation of the peripheral joints, but it may also involve the lungs, heart, blood vessels, and eyes. The prevalence of this autoimmune disease is between 0.3% to 1.5% of the population in the United States (Feinberg, pp 815). It affects women two to three times more often than men, and the onset of RA is usually between 25 and 50 years of age, but it can occur at any age (Reed, pp 584). RA can be diagnosed by establishing the presence of persistent joint pain, swelling in a symmetric distribution, and prolonged morning stiffness. RA usually affects multiple joints, such as the hands, wrists, knees, elbows, feet, shoulders, hips, and small

Rheumatoid joint pain can be hard to analyze in its initial stages on the grounds that the early signs and side effects copy those of numerous different sicknesses. There is nobody blood test or physical finding to affirm the conclusion.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease. The disease happens when the immune system mistakenly attacks a healthy tissue as if it was a foreign invader, such as a virus or bacteria. If left untreated it can lead to permanent joint damage, decrease in quality of life, and total disability. It affects over a million people in the U.S. alone. Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms include persistent joint inflammation which causes joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. Fatigue and stiffness are usually early symptoms. Joint pain can be an early symptom in a variety of diseases. Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis often develop slowly over a period of weeks or longer, but this is not always the case, it can have an acute

Many people all over the world may have rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects the small joints in the hands and feet (Mayoclinicorg, 2015). It is also an autoimmune disease, where the immune system sees the body as a foreign object and attacks it (Mayoclinicorg, 2015). As the chronic disorder matures, it could seep into the blood vessels and into other organs: heart, lungs, skin, and eyes (Mayoclinicorg, 2015). This chronic pain is found mostly in women around forty to sixty years old; however, men with low testosterone could also have the chronic disorder (Mayoclinicorg, 2015). Because smokers burn off certain cells to prevent infection, they are also at risk for rheumatoid arthritis. This

If an individual is experiencing any of the above symptoms, many tests may be ordered to make a diagnosis. Laboratory tests may include rheumatoid factor, white blood cell count, anti-nuclear antibody, anti-citrullinated peptide/protein antibodies, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein. 70% of people

After this is done, they will perform lab work to make sure you may not have any other conditions. When performing the lab work, they will be testing for five things. If C-Reactive Proteins are detected, this indicates the sign of inflammation in the body. Your erythrocyte sedimentation rate will be checked, as with rheumatoid arthritis, this is generally raised. Your Rheumatoid Factor will be checked as well, because “about 75% of people with rheumatoid arthritis are RF positive” (RA 101). Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide will be tested, as “About 98% of people with RA have these antibodies in their systems” (RA 101). And lastly, an antinuclear antibody test would be done to make sure you do not have a

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune inflammatory disease that can affect any joint where two bones meet, causing them to painfully swell and possibly result in dislocation of the joints. This is caused from the synovial membrane being inflamed leading to cartilage and bone destruction. This can make simple functions of everyday living extremely difficult such as buttoning a shirt, turning a key in a lock, or holding a drinking glass. Common deformity of rheumatoid arthritis of the hand joints are swan neck which affects the proximal joints and fingers are locked stiff is such position, and ulnar drift; where the phalanges curve outward towards the ulnar bone. Symptoms may include stiffness of joint(s) in the morning, warmth, tenderness,

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an inflammatory and autoimmune disease that occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks healthy joints, causing horrific symptoms such as immense pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of physical function (What is rheumatoid arthritis (RA)?). Joint pain which affects over seventy million Americans each year, can be discomfort, pain, or inflammation arising from any part of a joint, including cartilage, bone, ligaments, tendons, or muscles (Rheumatoid Arthritis.). It is very common in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis, which is inflammation or pain from within the joint itself. It can be mild, causing soreness only after certain activities, or it can be severe making even limited movement, particularly bearing

     People who have rheumatic diseases should see a rheumatologist in order to determine the precise form of arthritis and the stage of the disease. General physical examination is necessary, beyond that there is a specific rheumatic disease exam that include blood tests, x-rays, and a complete exam of the joints. Blood tests are helpful to confirm diagnosis because they can check for factors that are typical of other chronic diseases as well as specific for

The most common symptom of arthritis is joint pain. However, joint pain may result from other illnesses, and this means that people experiencing joint pain have to consult a medical professional for differential diagnosis. Joint stiffness and swelling are also common in people with the disease. The most common symptom reported is a constant pain that occurs around a given joint. Moreover, other types of arthritis such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis that can also affect other body organs and cause other symptoms