Rheumatoid arthritis, popularly known as "inflammatory rheumatism", is a chronic disease with no known cure.
What is Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) (Inflammatory Rheumatism)?
It is an autoimmune disorder that can affect many joints, organs and the body as a whole. The pain caused by the disease negatively affects daily life and reduces the standard of living. The disease can sometimes prevent even daily routine movements. Therefore, it is important to diagnose and treat it as soon as possible. The treatments applied may not give positive results in some cases. However, recent research has led to the discovery of new drugs for the treatment of the disease. The aim of rheumatoid arthritis treatment is to reduce the pain caused by the disease and to ensure a better quality of life for the individual.
Inflammatory rheumatism (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that can affect almost all joints. This disease causes swelling, pain and stiffness in the joints. It can also manifest itself for many years.
- Intensely affects the hands, feet, and ankles.
- In some patients, it damages a wide variety of body systems, including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, and blood vessels.
Rheumatoid arthritis affects the protective lining of the joints, weakening the lining causes a painful swelling that can lead to bone erosion and joint deformity. This swelling is often accompanied by intense inflammation. This inflammation can reach a level that can damage other parts of the body.
Research has shown that women suffer from RA more than men. In addition, the disease occurs most intensely in middle ages, regardless of male or female. However, this does not mean that the disease is only seen in middle-aged individuals. Because the disease can be seen at any age. The presence of RA in family members triggers the emergence of RA disease in individuals. So there is a genetic predisposition.
At the beginning of the disease, the pain is generally concentrated in the joints of the hands and feet. This is accompanied by swelling in the same joints and over time There are restrictions on the movements of the stand. Movement relaxes the joints and reduces pain. However, after prolonged rest, the pain comes back. Eclipses can sometimes last longer than an hour after waking up in the morning. In the later stages of the disease, deformities are seen in the joints. It is not possible to reverse these deformities.
What are the Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis (Inflammatory Rheumatism)?
In the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis, redness or swelling may not be seen in the joints, but tenderness and pain may be seen in the joints. These symptoms are actually the first signs of the disease. In addition, common to all patients;
- Joint pain, tenderness, swelling or stiffness lasting for six weeks or more,
- morning pain and joint stiffness lasting from 30 minutes to 1 hour,
- Pain occurring in more than one joint,
- Pain in small joints (ankles, some joints in hands and feet),
- Deformities in joints in the later stages of the disease,
- Anorexia and anemia, although not seen in all patients
- The lumps formed under the skin are among the most common symptoms.
What are the Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)?
The immune system of a healthy person constantly works to protect the body from bacteria and viruses. However, in autoimmune diseases such as RA, the body's immune system sees its own cells as dangerous like bacteria or viruses and attacks the synovium. The synovium is the tissue around joints that produces fluid to help the joint move smoothly.
The inflamed synovium thickens and makes the joint area feel sore and tender. This area becomes red and swollen, and it becomes increasingly difficult to move the joint. If the disease is not treated, the joint will gradually form It loses its structure and structure, and the possibility of complete destruction of the joint occurs. There is no definitive theory as to why the immune system attacks its own cells in relation to RA. While there are several views, none of them has been proven. Older people and women are more likely to have RA. There are opinions that the reason why women are prone to this disease is due to the estrogen hormone. RA is thought to be passed down genetically from generation to generation.
- Smokers are also in the risk group. It is also known that smoking addiction increases the severity of the disease.
- Overweight or obese people put more strain on their joints. Therefore, obesity increases the risk of the disease.
- It has been suggested by some experts that very inactive people are also at higher risk of developing RA.
- Although there is a public opinion that joint diseases such as RA do not develop in children, this is a false information. Teenagers and children are also likely to have RA. In addition, young people and children with a family history of RA are more likely to have the disease. A sedentary lifestyle is one of the factors that increase the risk of developing the disease, regardless of age.
How to Diagnose Inflammatory Rheumatism (RA)?
The first step in effectively treating rheumatoid arthritis is to make an accurate diagnosis as soon as possible. . A doctor with specialized training in the treatment of arthritis is most effective at making an accurate diagnosis using a medical history, physical exam, and laboratory tests. The doctor begins the examination with a medical history by asking when the symptoms started, how long they have been going on, how severe they are, which movements make the patient feel better or worse, and whether a family member has RA.
If the patient has joint tenderness and swelling, burning, fever and swelling in the joints are physical examination methods. It is usually possible to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis after a medical history and physical examination. However, blood tests can be done to detect RA-related inflammation and blood proteins (antibodies). Also in blood high CRP and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) along with other clues are helpful in making the diagnosis. A tomography, ultrasound, or MRI scan can be performed to view the abrasions and other effects that RA may cause on the joints. However, imaging methods are useless in the early stages of the disease. Because the disease has not yet damaged the joints. In addition, medical imaging methods can give the doctor an idea about whether the treatment of the disease is working.
How is Rheumatoid Arthritis (Inflammatory Rheumatism) Treated?
- What the treatment will be and how it will progress is determined by the severity of RA. The main aim of the treatment is to alleviate the pain of the patient and to prevent possible joint damage.
- After the start of the patient's treatment, the results of the treatment are followed up regularly by considering the laboratory and clinical findings.
- In case of inflammation in the patient, antibiotic treatment is applied. Antibiotic therapy is usually discontinued after the inflammation has subsided or disappeared.
- Various painkillers are used according to the severity of the pain. According to the progression of the disease, adjustments are made in drug therapy.
- Using drugs other than the doctor's recommendations during the treatment may cause serious side effects. For this reason, drugs should not be started without the doctor's recommendation.
- The drug treatments applied in RA are mostly supported by physical therapy. Physiotherapy helps to reduce pain by relaxing the muscles. Physical therapy is organized individually by the physiotherapist. If patients have severe deformities in their joints, surgical intervention may be required. The aim of these surgical treatments is to remove the inflamed joint lining, to treat the tendons torn due to the disease, to align the disorganized and misaligned joints, and to remove the damaged parts of the joints and replace them with prostheses. Surgical treatment suitable for the patient's condition is performed by specialist surgeons.
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