Rheumatoid Arthritis, also known as RA, is an autoimmune disease that attacks your joints, making them swell, stiffen, and hurt. The main symptom you can expect from having RA is inflammation in your joints. In addition to these classic signs, there could be other symptoms such as fatigue, fever, joint stiffness, weight loss, or muscle weakness.
Many people associate their illness with a flare-up when they feel better after being sick. However, this is not always true because the immune system does play a role in RA, but it doesn’t always cause flares.
If you’ve been diagnosed with RA, here’s what you need to know.
There are two types of treatments for RA: medications and physical therapy. Both have proven effective. When choosing a treatment, your doctor will weigh up the pros and cons, including how well it works on the long term, side effects, whether it’s covered by insurance, and more.
What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. This means that the immune system attacks itself. This causes inflammation in different parts of your body.
The symptoms of RA usually start with joint pain. Then, they can spread to other joints, muscles, and tendons. In severe cases, people lose their ability to move or walk.
In order to diagnose this condition, doctors will ask you questions about your history. They will also examine you to see if the swelling is limited to one part of your body. If it is, then you might be suffering from RA.
If you are diagnosed with RA, then you need to take medications that will help you control the condition. These include anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids, and immunosuppressants.
It’s important to note that there isn’t a cure for this condition. So, you should focus on managing it rather than trying to get rid of the symptoms entirely.
There are several ways that you can prevent RA. One way is by taking care of yourself. For example, you should eat healthy foods. You should exercise regularly and sleep well at night.
Another way is to avoid certain triggers. This includes stress, infections, colds, and exposure to chemicals.
What Is the Difference Between Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. This means that your body’s immune system attacks your joints. The most common joint affected by this is your knee. Your doctor may recommend some treatments for your condition. These include medications, physical therapy, and surgery.
Osteoarthritis is another type of inflammatory arthritis. In fact, it is the most common form of arthritis. This is because your cartilage wears away over time. As a result, bones rub against each other causing pain. There are a number of treatment options available to help with osteoarthritis. The two main types of medication that can be used to treat the condition are NSAIDs and glucocorticoids.
NSAIDS such as aspirin or ibuprofen can reduce the inflammation in your joints, but they won’t cure the condition. They will just relieve the symptoms temporarily.
Glucocorticoids are steroid drugs that are often prescribed to people who have severe cases of osteoarthritis. However, these drugs come with a lot of side effects.
Surgery is sometimes recommended to remove damaged bone and cartilage from the affected area. This is usually only considered if the person has had the condition for several years and hasn’t responded well to other forms of treatment.
The Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in the joints. This leads to pain and swelling. It can also lead to stiffness and deformity.
The most common symptom of RA is joint pain. In addition, it can cause fever, fatigue, and weight loss. People with RA may feel tired, stiff, swollen, or painful. They may even lose their appetite.
There are several types of treatments for RA. The first step is to get a diagnosis. A doctor will take a medical history, examine the patient, and perform a physical examination. This will help determine the type of treatment that is needed.
If the patient is diagnosed with RA, then they will be given a list of medications. These include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and corticosteroids. Other medicines such as methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine, sulfasalazine, leflunomide, and gold salts are also used.
A combination of these treatments can be very effective at reducing the pain and other symptoms of RA.
However, there are also side effects associated with some of the treatments. For example, NSAIDs can cause stomach bleeding. Corticosteroids can increase blood sugar levels.
Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease in which your immune system attacks your joints, causing pain and swelling. RA usually affects the hands, wrists, knees, feet, ankles, shoulders, and elbows. There are many treatments available to help relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.
Treatment options include medications, surgery, physical therapy, injections, lifestyle changes, complementary therapies, and more. Your doctor will recommend a treatment plan based on your specific needs.
Medications are the most common form of treatment. These medicines can slow down the progression of the disease, but they don’t cure it.
Surgery is another option. In some cases, doctors may remove damaged tissue or fix the joint using artificial parts. Surgery isn’t always necessary; however, if you experience severe symptoms, then your doctor might suggest it.
Physical Therapy helps to strengthen muscles and tendons, which reduces stiffness. Physical therapists work with patients one-on-one, helping them learn exercises to increase their range of motion. They also teach people how to use assistive devices such as splints and braces.
Injections are used to reduce inflammation. Doctors inject steroids into the affected areas to decrease swelling. Steroids can also be injected directly into the synovial fluid, which lubricates joints.
The Role of Diet in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. This means that the immune system attacks healthy cells. As a result, people get inflamed joints. These include the hands, feet, elbows, knees, shoulders, wrists, and neck.
The symptoms of this condition can vary. Some people may only experience pain. Others might also experience swelling, stiffness, fatigue, and other problems.
In some cases, people develop rheumatoid arthritis as a complication of another illness. For example, if someone gets infected with hepatitis C or HIV, they are more likely to develop this condition.
There are two types of treatments available. The first one involves medications, such as anti-inflammatory drugs. But, these are not always effective. So, doctors also use physical therapy and exercise to help patients manage their condition better.
Some people with rheumatoid arthritis have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular problems. This means that they should avoid certain foods. Foods like red meat, processed meats, and dairy products can increase this risk.
Conclusion
People who have had rheumatoid arthritis for many years often don’t realize that it is a chronic condition. This means that their condition will never completely go away. In fact, most people will need treatment for the rest of their lives.