What is Rheumatoid Arthritis? RA is one of the most serious and potentially disabling forms of arthritis. It is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks the body's tissue. The main area of attack is the synovium, or joint lining. The attack trigger inflammation in joints and other tissues. The results is PAIN, Swelling and stiffness that limits a joints range of motion. If unchecked, inflammation damages not only the synovium, but also bones in the joints and other tissue, such as organs.
Stiffness can be especailly severe after sleeping and can last an hour or all day or days. Symptoms tend to improve for a while, but then flare, seemingly at random. RA can affect the whole body, especially during flares, with fatigue , loss of apetite, fever weight loss.
Peopel of all ages can have RA, but it usually starts in the 30's or 40's.(I went Ten years thinking that the pain was normal TEN YEARS.)
The exact cause of the disease is unknown, but genetics plays a role. Gene helps keep immune system cells from being overactive, the cariation of that gene enables certain immune system cells to cause tissue to damage and inflammation . Altering or replacing those defective genes assocaited with RA is on the horizon.
We se various kinds of Autoimmune diseases clustering in some families, but it's not all genetics. There is probably something in the environment , and ifectious agent, perhaps, that may act as a trigger particularly in those people who have a genetic predisposition because infectious agents may be involved, sometimes antibiotic therapy for RA.
DIAGNOSIS: GETTING ONE QUICKLY:
What ever the cause, the disease can quickly progress, which makes an early diagnosis crucail. RA diagnosis involves several tests. Medical history, physical exam, X-rays, MRIs, bonescan and ultrasounds to see the structure of the joint, and they perform a number of different blood test to determine the exten of the disease activity and severity.
Because getting diagnosis of RA can take sometime, it is especially important to get a referral from your primary care doctor to a Rheumatologiest as soon as possible. (that is what I did all this and how I found out).
BE AGGRESSIVE BE VERY AGGRESSIVE:
Today, array of medication are used to treat RA symptoms and slow disease progression. Doctors use only mild pain relievers for as long as possible instead of thrumatologist are using them sooner like antiflammatories and other before hard pain pills. (I have antiflammatory and mild pain pill one a day of that)I hate taken any of it.
These medication go to the root cause of inflammation to help stop the progression of the disease that we're not seeing further deformity or disablity.
Example:
Disease modifying antirheumatic drugs DMARDs slow disease progression by suppressing the immune system. Example: Hydroxycholoroquine (Plaquenil)(Iam on that one), Leflunomide(Arava),Methortrexate(Rhuematrex), sulfasalazine(Azulfidine).
Newer biologic response modifiers (BRMS),which can stop disease progression by blocking proteins that cause inflammation ,may also be prescribed early on. The newest options - Abatacept (Orencia), andrituximab(rituxan)ma work in patient who od not respond to other BRMs suck as adalimumab(humira) oretanercept (enbrel).
Talk to your doctor try it if it does not work ask for something else sooner or later you get something that works together to make you feel better.
Arthritis foundation self help program.
18005684045 for more help or information
