Rheumatoid arthritis, RA, is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes joint pain, stiffness and swelling. This leads to severe, and sometimes rapid, deterioration of multiple joints and results in acute pain and loss of function.
Unlike osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis inflames the joint’s lining, called the synovium. Of the over 100 forms of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis is among the most debilitating. Rheumatoid arthritis usually develops in middle age, but may occur in the 20s and 30s.
Causes of rheumatoid arthritis
Some experts believe that a virus or bacteria may trigger rheumatoid arthritis in people with genetic predisposition to it. However, the exact cause of the disease is unknown. Many doctors think rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the tissue of the joint, synovial tissue, has actually been attacked by the immune system. The onset of rheumatoid arthritis occurs most frequently in middle-aged women.
It may also occur after a life-changing event such as divorce, job loss or a severe injury.
Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
Pain and swelling in the joints and difficulty moving are some the primary symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Other symptoms may include loss of appetite, fever, loss of energy, anemia and rheumatoid modules (lumps of tissue under the skin). People suffering from rheumatoid arthritis have periods of exacerbation or “flare-ups” involving pain and stiffness in multiple joints.
Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis
Treatment for pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis may involve medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), aspirin and analgesics. Additionally, you and your physician may decide that hip surgery is the best treatment option to help regain your quality of life, if non-surgical treatment is unsuccessful.
