Rheumatoid Arthritis: Autoimmune Inflammatory Disease

Rheumatoid Arthritis or “RA” is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system mistakenly attacks its own body tissues. This disease affects the lining of joints causing pain and swelling. Eventually the swelling can lead to bone erosion and joint deformity. RA can happen to anyone at any age, but the majority of people who have to endure this disease are women over the age of 40.

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

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the joints, most often in the hands and feet. It results in swelling, stiffness, pain, and sometimes joint, bone, and cartilage destruction. Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects joints on both sides of the body equally, meaning if a joint on one side is affected, the same joint on the opposite side is affected as well. Rheumatoid arthritis belongs to a group of diseases called autoimmune disorders that affects joints. In rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system produces antibodies that attack the soft tissues lining of the joints. Eventually the cartilage, bone, and ligaments of the joint deteriorate, causing deformity, instability, and scarring within the joint

Osteoarthritis frequently affects the small finger joints and thumb, as well as the knees (Rheumatoid Arthritis.org, 2016). RA affects several joints in comparison to OA that affect one joint or area (Rheumatoid Arthritis.org, 2016). Osteoarthritis affects more people than rheumatoid arthritis. According to Rheumatoid Arthritis.org, (2016), 27 million people develop osteoarthritis and around 1.3 million people develop rheumatoid arthritis. Although OA is more prevalent in the population, females tend to be diagnosed are higher rates and experience the pain and stiffness alike (Rheumatoid Arthritis.org, 2016). RA appears in people between the age of thirty and sixty years of age. Osteoarthritis generally develops later in life. The signs and symptoms of RA are joint pain, stiffness, swelling joints, symmetrical symptoms, stiffness lasting greater than 30 minutes in the AM, fatigue, fever, and malaise (Rheumatoid Arthritis.org, 2016). In comparison, OA symptoms feature joint pain and stiffness which is unequally distributed and experienced in hands, fingers, knees, spine, and hips with stiffness in the AM lasting less than 30 minutes (Rheumatoid Arthritis.org, 2016). Another note is that with RA other diseases involving the lung, heart, musculoskeletal problems are common and continuous problems from the effects of inflammation (Huether & McCance,

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a systemic autoimmune disorder. There are more than 100 different types of Arthritis, yet it is estimated that it affects approximately 1% of the population in the Western World. The disease is generally diagnosed in middle aged adults and the elderly. In rarer cases, children can also develop the disease and it is called Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. Women are three times more likely to have rheumatoid arthritis than men. (Stevens) Many people living with Rheumatoid Arthritis appear to be healthy individuals, but suffer internally. Today, I will discuss what rheumatoid arthritis is, how it is diagnosed, and how it affects the body.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in the general family of lupus. For reasons that are not understood, in rheumatoid arthritis the immune system goes awry and begins attacking tissues, especially cartilage in the joints. Various joints become red, hot, and swollen under the onslaught. The pattern of inflammation is usually symmetrical, occurring on both sides of the body. Other symptoms include inflammation of the eyes, nodules (or lumps) under the skin, and a general feeling of malaise.

Rheumatoid Arthritis known as RA is an autoimmune disease which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the joints. In a healthy individual the immune system protects by attacking foreign substances like bacteria and viruses. When this happens the body will create inflammation that causes the tissue that lines the inside of the joints known as the synovium to thicken, which creates swelling and pain around the joints. If the individual is to go a prolong period without treatment for RA it can damage the cartilage and over time the loss of cartilage the joint can then become loose, unstable, painful and most lose their mobility. Joint deformation can occur and the damage to the joint cannot be reversed.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation of connective tissue in the diarthrodial (synovial) joints, typically with periods of remission and exacerbation (Lewis, Dirksen, Heitkemper, Bucher, & Camera, 2011). The etiology of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown. Autoimmunity and genetic factors are believed to be important in the development of RA. Genetic predisposition appears to be important in the development of RA (Lewis et al., 2011). The strongest evidence for a familial influence is the increased occurrence of a human leukocyte antigen (HLA) (Lewis et al., 2011). Smoking can increase the risk of RA for a person who has a genetic predisposition. Autoimmunity theory suggests that changes

Like with any disease, signs and symptoms can be experienced differently based on the individual. Rheumatoid Arthritis has a few that are common with the majority of people; joint pain, tenderness, swelling, and stiffness are inevitable. As the disease grows more severe, deformity and loss of the joints range of motion can occur.

First, it is very difficult to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis in its early stages. It is difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are very similar to many other diseases. Second, the treatment has no one cure. This means there are things you can do to help, but there is not one thing that cures it. Next, the environmental factors are very few. One of which is infection with certain bacteria and viruses may trigger the disease. The other reason is smoking tobacco. The testing and diagnosis, treatment, and environmental factors are very dreadful

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the musculoskeletal system. This means that certain cells of the immune system do not work properly and start attacking healthy tissues — the joints in RA. The cause of RA is not known. When inflammation occurs in the joint, immune cells release chemicals which attack the cartilage and bone, causing the swelling that leads to pain. This type of disease can cause many difficulties in the body itself. Such as pain, stiffness, swelling in joints, limited motion, loss of energy and appetite, low fevers, dry eyes and mouth, firm lumps at extremities and body discomforts. Rheumatoid arthritis mainly affects the small joints in the body like hands and feet. In rare cases, rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. normally the body’s immune system attacks and protects the body against foreign substance, with RA the immune system accidently attacks the joints. When the joints are mistakenly attacked inflammation occurs which causes the tissues to thicken thus resulting in pain and swelling of the joints. When this inflammation is undetected damage to the cartilage can occur, when this happens the spacing between the bones become smaller, the joints may become loose, painful, unstable and may also lose their mobility and deformity of the joints can occur.

Low temperature, fatigue and weakness, elevated sedimentation rate and a positive rheumatoid factor. History of weight loss, anorexia and fever; swan neck deformity and boutonniere deformity and a decreased range of motion (Silvestri, 2013). During an assessment for this type of disorder you can tell if there are any joint deformities such as subluxation also know as dislocation can occur as well. Warmth or swollen joints, limited movement of the joint or immovable joints also known as ankylosis. Skin may be reddened but does not apply to everyone who has RA (Rosdahl, 2012). Some studies have shown that RA has been linked to having cardiovascular disease. Is been shown that most people that are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis are 3 times more likely to have a heart attack than others due to inflammation in the body affecting all other organs (Crowson, 2013).

Gradually, the joint loses its shape and alignment. Doctor’s don’t know what causes this process to start, but it could be a genetic component. Your genes don’t cause the arthritis, but they can make you more susceptible to environmental factors, such as infection with certain viruses and bacteria that may trigger the disease. If a member of your family has the disease you are more likely to get it also. Rheumatoid arthritis can range from mild to severe. In most cases it is chronic, which means it lasts a long time even a lifetime. Scientists estimate the about 1.5 million people, or about 0.6 percent of the U.S. adult population have rheumatoid arthritis, according to the National Arthritis Data Workgroup. It occurs in all races and ethnic groups. Although the disease starts in mid-life, older teenagers and young adults may also be diagnosed with the disease. About two to three times as many women as men have the disease. Rheumatoid arthritis is primarily a disease of the joints. A joint is the point where two or more bones come together which is supposed to protect your immune system, the body from infection and disease, attacks joint tissues for unknown reasons. White blood cells, travel to the synovial and cause inflammation (synovitis), which causes the warmth, redness, swelling, and pain. As rheumatoid progresses, the inflamed synovium invades and destroys the cartilage and bone

Since rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease, it can also affect other organs and tissues, but it primarily attacks the joints in a symmetrical fashion. Rheumatoid arthritis develops from an abnormal immune response caused by exposure to an antigen, in a patient that is genetically susceptible. Autoantibodies develop and attack the patient’s cartilage and synovial tissues once the antigen exposure has occurred (Nelson, 2011). One of the most common