Essay Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease that affects whole systems of body particularly cardiovascular system, nerves, respiratory system (RACGP, 2009). The causes of rheumatoid arthritis are unknown but it is hereditary which assists to have a risk of rheumatoid arthritis by 50%-60% (RACGP, 2009).

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.

As I began my sophomore year of high school, I envisioned another year full of sports and normal high school activities. I was looking forward to playing basketball as I had done in my freshman year. A few weeks into the new school year I slowly realized that vision would not play out how I thought it would. When I began to notice a nagging pain in my hands and fingers that would not go away, I knew something was wrong. Basketball, a sport that I had once loved to play became almost impossible for my swollen hands to handle. The pain progressively got worse and eventually spread throughout my body, making it difficult to walk and carry out simple tasks. After two long months of tests and several doctors, I was finally diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

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

Rheumatoid Arthritis(RA) is the most common type of autoimmune arthritis. RA is a progressive and debilitating musculoskeletal disorder that affects the joints symmetrically, causing a range of systemic effects. What it causes is still not well known; nevertheless, findings of new research points towards a believe that it is triggered by a defective immune system, which causes the release of inflammatory chemicals. These chemicals cause damage to cartilage and bone, usually affecting the wrists, the joints of the hand, including the knuckles, the middle joints of the fingers and feet. While this condition can affect any joints, besides, important body organs such as the eyes and the lungs can also be affected by the inflammation that occurs as a result of this chronic condition. Only in America 1.3 million of people are affected by this ailment, and 75 % of them are mainly women. Its onset usually occurs between fourth and sixth decades; however, RA can occur at any age("Diseases And

RA is a progressive disease and while ideally, we could get the patient to go into remission; it is important to make sure that as a care provider we have a plan in mind. The plan that I would keep in mind for this patient would be working on an assistance program for Humira. Often times these programs are available for patient after having failed methotrexate or other non-biologics. I could have the patient speak to an insurance specialist to see if there a better choice in insurance plans. If I am able to get this patient approved for a biologic I would start the patient on this kind of medication. While this is usually a lengthy process I would start the patient on a second DMARD like hydroxychloroquine. This medication can take 2-6 months to start to work though (California Department of Health Care Services, n.d.). I would also keep in mind that a burst of corticosteroid or opioids could be used to try to get the patient over a flare

This includes, practice ROM exercise and taking walks to see how their endurance and strength is. I shadowed one of the RA's that performed daily walks with each patient to see how far they are able to get and if they are able to move from a wheelchair to walker. In the afternoon, the RA's did ROM exercises and also instructed a work out class for anyone who would like to participate. An OTA would help patients with daily tasks such as being able to put on pants with the right movements (practice bending up and down) or how to put on a sweater with one weak

Rheumatoid Arthritis has been subject of numerous studies and researches in the look for a better understanding of how it effects the individuals diagnosed with it. There is a higher incident of females diagnosed with RA than male as well as a relationship with genetic and environmental factors involved. Around one percent of the world population is affected by RA; therefore, diverse studies have been performed to understand how the lives of the diagnosed patients can be impacted by the disease. For example, how RA affects the mobility, safety and activities of daily living in general as well as the development of interventions to better approach RA. On

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 interventions that I observed was the use of contrast bath for the Chronic Regional pain, E-stim, Ultrasound, hot packs for the pain management as well as to decrease the stiffness and swelling. The activity that I observed were ROM arc to increase movement in the bilateral upper extremities, sand box to increase core strength, Theraputty, peg boards, cognition pattern puzzles, visual perception puzzles, arm bike (rollator), bolts and screw for fine motor coordination, mini mental test to intact orientation as well as memory. I observed how therapist were teaching the patients to increase independence while transferring from bed to wheelchair to commode. I observed the use of adaptive devices to make the patient as functional as possible with their daily activities such as long handled shower brush, Reacher, sock aid, leg lifter, adaptive heavy weighted utensils and many

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

RA can lead to crippling. It incapacitates the synovial tissue, which is the membrane that lines joints and secretes the lubricant that normally allows bones to move painlessly against other bones. With this condition, joints (most commonly the

Unfortunately, we have a little evidence for the treatment of ILD associated with RA,due to the lack

Rheumatoid Arthritis or (RA) is an autoimmune disease that attacks the joints and connective tissue. The result is inflammation that produces permanent damage in the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic syndrome that tends to be progressive and destructive as compared to Osteoarthritis or (OA), which is more of an age related disease caused by “wear and tear” of the joints. In contrast to (OA), rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by inflammation mostly of the joints, but is a general body disease.