Rheumatoid Arthritis - An Arthritis Type

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITISCO • Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic, autoimmune disease with no known cause and no cure. • It's much more common in women, and tends to strike between the ages of 40 and 60. Flare-ups come and go, and the disease and worsening symptoms progress over time. • Those suffering with the condition are faced with swelling and pain in one or more joints, making daily tasks very difficult CAUSES OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: • The cause of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is not known. Researchers suspect that a combination of susceptibility and other factors like: * viral * bacterial infection * hormones lon erhealthdtoetiet.com WAW Genetics * Infection * environmental factors RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS SYMPTOMS: • The patient often finds the same joints in each side of the body are painfully swollen, inflamed, and stiff. • The fingers, arms, legs and wrists are most commonly affected. • Symptoms are usually worst on waking up in the morning and the stiffness can last for 30 minutes at this time. • The joint is tender when touched. Hands may be red and puffy. • There may be rheumatoid nodules (bumps of tissue under the skin of the patient's arms). • Many patients with rheumatoid arthritis feel tired most of the time. • Weight loss is common.