Rheumatoid Arthritis
August 29, 2008 · Print This Article
Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints. It can also cause inflammation of the tissue around the joints, as well as other organs in the body. Autoimmune diseases are illnesses which occur when the body tissues are attacked mistakenly by the body’s own immune system. Patients with these types of diseases have antibodies in their blood which attack their own body tissues, where they can be associated with inflammation.
Rheumatoid arthritis is referred to as a systemic illness and is sometimes called rheumatoid disease. It is a chronic illness which can last for years and patients may experience long periods without symptoms. Rheumatoid arthritis is a progressive illness that has the potential to cause functional disability and joint destruction.
Causes of rheumatoid arthritis
The real cause of rheumatoid arthritis is not known and it is a very active area of worldwide research. Scientists believe the tendency to develop rheumatoid arthritis may be genetically inherited. Suspicions are that certain infections or factors in the environment might trigger the immune system to attack the body’s own tissues, resulting in inflammation in various organs of the body like the lungs or eyes.
Immune cells, called lymphocytes, are activated and chemical messengers, such as tumour necrosis factor are expressed in the inflamed areas. Environmental factors also play some role in the cause of rheumatoid arthritis. Recently, scientists have reported that smoking increases the risk of developing the disease.
Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis depend on the degree of tissue inflammation. When body tissues are inflamed, the disease becomes active. When the inflammation subsides, the disease goes into a remission. Remissions occur spontaneously or with treatment, and can last weeks, months, or years.
During remissions, symptoms of the disease go away, and patients normally feel well. When it becomes active again, the symptoms return. The return of disease symptoms and activity is called a flare or relapse. The course of a flare varies from patient to patient, and periods of flares and remissions are typical.
When the disease is active, symptoms include lack of appetite, low grade fever, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, and stiffness. Joint and muscle stiffness are usually most notable in the morning and/or after periods of inactivity. During flares, joints frequently become tender, swollen, red, and painful. This occurs because the lining tissue of the joint becomes inflamed, resulting in the production of excessive joint fluid. The synovium also thickens with inflammation.
