Rheumatoid Arthritis Personal Statement

"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).

During my junior year of high school, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the Arthritis walk in Philadelphia. Volunteering at the event allowed me to gain deeper intellectual engagement and also influenced my future career. At the event, I had the opportunity to meet several people who suffered with Arthritis. When observing the many effects that Arthritis had on people it widened my eyes to the lack of healthcare in society. By the end of the day a lightbulb went off in my head and I knew for sure that I wanted a career in medicine. I was certain that a career in health services was for me because each person with arthritis warmed my heart and my mind began wondering about endless ways to better their situation. Since I was a young girl I was sensitive, caring, and always trying to find a way to help someone out of a bad situation. There are

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.

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 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

There are over 100 types of arthritis, and the symptoms of each one affects different parts of the body. The symptoms can develop over a long period of time or suddenly appear, and it can affect people of all age groups from children to the elderly. Symptoms of arthritis pain include stiffness and swelling in the joints, and the pain tends to be worse in the morning than at any other time of the day. Unfortunately, there is no cure for arthritis, but with the right diagnosis, a doctor can rule out other source of the pain and properly treat the arthritis symptoms.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that affects the cartilage in one 's joints, it is not curable, it can not be stopped, only the pain itself can be lessened. In an average person’s body, the immune system has one job; to attack foreign substances that may enter the body. With the 1.5 million people in the United States that have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, their bodies are “tricked” or mislead into thinking that the cartilage within their joints is what is foreign. Once their immune system attacks the joints, it causes inflammation within, which then in turn leads to the synovium (lining of the joints) tissue to thicken. The synovium makes a fluid that acts as a lubricant to the joints and helps everything move freely. Once that fluid is gone, swelling and pain is experienced next. After awhile, the cartilage within the joints begins to disintegrate and will eventually cripple the individual. Along with knowing exactly what RA is, by the end of this paper you will know signs and symptoms within the oral cavity and systemically, and you’ll be familiar with how nutrition is related to the progression of this disease.

Today in the United States there is an estimated 1.3 million people living and dealing with rheumatoid arthritis (Arthritis Foundation). One might ask, what exactly is rheumatoid arthritis? Well, rheumatoid arthritis, also commonly known as RA, is a form of inflammatory disease and an autoimmune disease. If the person is a minor, or below the age of six-teen, then the chronic disease can also go by the name of juvenile arthritis. The juvenile arthritis is, “Defined as chronic inflammation of the synovial joints, with unknown etiology, which starts before the age of sixteen and persists for at least six weeks” (Hink et al 1). This disease can affect anyone with a functioning immune system. Out of the 1.3 million people in the United States that have rheumatoid arthritis, 70% of that number is women (RA.com). Once again there are no certain reasons as to who receives this disease whether its children, elders, Caucasians, African Americans, etc. But once they do receive the illness, then it affects them immensely. “The disease is systemic, meaning it can occur throughout the whole body. It’s a chronic disease, so it can’t be cured” (Arthritis Foundation). The pain, stiffness and fatigue can affect the entire body. “RA occurs when your immune system, the system that protects your body from outside harm, mistakenly starts attacking healthy tissue” (RA.com). Rheumatoid arthritis is an incurable disease that is affecting

With rheumatoid arthritis there are many painful problems as well as symptoms and causes of this genetic disorder. First, the description of the disorder is how painful it can be. The painful swelling can lead to bone erosion, which means that the bone will wear away. Next, the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can be hard on the body. You could have fatigue (extreme tiredness), a fever, or weight loss. As well, you can have morning stiffness which can last for hours. Lastly, some causes of the disorder are that the immune system attacks the synovium which is the lining of the membrane that surrounds your joints. In other words, what happens is the synovium inflames which destroys the cartilage and bone in the joint. As you can see rheumatoid arthritis has many painful problems, symptoms and causes.

Any chronic illness can be extremely disruptive to family life. But, it can be possible to maintain balance by using coping strategies, as well as seeking help when necessary. Each member of the family wants some kind of support, while others members of the family may tend to provide the kind of support they would want to receive. This paper will educate the reader on rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic condition which affects millions of people each year, in addition to providing three approaches to improve the affected person’s health and the family dealing with the illness. Certain lifestyle changes and activities can help improve a person’s ability to function independently while maintaining a positive outlook.

The stiffness within the joints or excruciating affliction that appears after sitting down in one situation for too long is attributed to a host of possible factors that convey about joint anguish. This situation, which simplest worsens as we age, can affect one or more joints at the same time. Some contributors may additionally undergo from muscle anguish and inflamed joints caused by using arthritis or bursitis. Overall, this can be a normal occurrence that has people shopping for factors why they feel pain in their joints, exploring their joint wellbeing, and looking for on the spot discomfort comfort.

Rheumatoid Arthritis, what is it? The word Rheumatoid comes from the greek word referring to rheumatism, which means any painful disorder from the joints. Arthritis means inflammation of the joint. (William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979). Putting these two words together Rheumatoid Arthritis creates a disorder. The pathophysiology of RA is that it is a chronic, systemic, inflammatory autoimmune disease which means that this disorder is attacking your own body (Silvestri, 2013, p. 851 ). This usually happens at the joints where two bones meet that create movement of body parts. This disorder is systemic and usually if it happens one side,

Rheumatoid Arthritis, what is it? The word Rheumatoid comes from the Greek word referring to rheumatism, which means any painful disorder from the joints. Arthritis means inflammation of the joint. (William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979). Putting these two words together Rheumatoid Arthritis creates a disorder. The pathophysiology of RA is that it is a chronic, systemic, inflammatory autoimmune disease which means that this disorder is attacking your own body (Silvestri, 2013).

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that accounts for roughly 0.6% of the population in the United States. The disease typically affects the elderly, but also affects older teenagers, young adults and affects women three times more than men. Rheumatoid arthritis is when a person’s immune system to attack the synovial membranes of the joints and causes inflammation. The genetic link of rheumatoid arthritis is not completely clear. However, it has been shown that having a family member with rheumatoid arthritis will increase the risk of developing the disease. There are currently two genes being looked at that has shown to be involved in the development of rheumatoid arthritis, HLA-DRB1 and PTPN22. These were discovered by looking at

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.