rheumatoid arthritis symptoms

One of the very common and most prevalent and potentially serious forms of arthritis is the rheumatoid arthritis. Not many people know that the term 'arthritis' is somewhat a blanket term for about 200 or more different diseases that causes inflammation of the joints and pain. Another type is the osteo arthritis.The intention here is to spell out some of the basics of rheumatoid arthritis. By knowing the basics of rheumatoid arthritis, one is better equipped to understand the prevalence, common symptoms and causes of the disease.

Many parts of the human body can be affected by rheumatoid arthritis. Most of the joints of the human body can be affected by rheumatoid arthritis. Other body parts that can also be affected including the heart, the lungs, and blood. Rheumatoid arthritis is common in about 2.1 million Americans. This accounts for approximately one percent of all American adults. Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by an inflammation of the lining of a joint. The inflammation usually makes the patient to feel

1. pain
2. stiffness in the joint,
3. swelling,
4. a feeling of warmth,
5. and a red tint to the skin.

Also, inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis can also affect the

a) body's tear ducts,
b) salivary glands,
c) and the linings of the human heart and lungs.

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis can last a life time. Victims usually experience waves of severity ranging from periods of practically no pain to intense suffering with little or no warning. The age bracket that is affected by this disease generally is found to be occurring in those between ages 20 and 50. Swelling, redness, tenderness, and a warmness of a joint may be a sign of being afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis. This feeling may be prevalent on both joints. For example, if one experiences a problem in their left knee, their right knee may also feel the same if rheumatoid arthritis is present. If rheumatoid is present in a person, the pain and tenderness usually lasts for a long period of time, and the patient may feel the same symptoms in other parts of the body.

Causes of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is actually caused by the body's immune system. Occasionally, malfunctioning of the immune system can cause it to mistake joint tissue as an invader. When this happens, the body will do its best to destroy the joint tissue. This leads to the symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Even though an exact cause for this problem has not been discovered yet, scientists in the field contend that genetics and heredity may play an important role.

Diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis.

In diagnosing a case of rheumatoid arthritis, doctors often employ the use of a blood test that checks for the presence of an antibody known as a 'rheumatoid factor'. Presence of this antibody is an indication that there is a good chance that the person is afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis.

About seventy and ninety percent of all rheumatoid arthritis sufferers have this agent in their bloodstream, so it can provide a pretty accurate assessment of a person's risk of rheumatoid arthritis. X-Rays can also be performed to determine exactly how much of the joint tissue has been affected by rheumatoid arthritis. Any person experiencing the above symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and it lasts for two weeks or longer, is seriously advised to talk to a doctor about the symptoms to see if you have the disease.

The articles on this website should not be used as a basis for any form of diagnosis or treatment for any medical condition. Always seek professional medical advice.

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