RA or Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that is chronic in nature. It weakens the immune system and the body joints start getting weaker. RA causes inflammation and eventually destroys the joints.
It also affects the other organs like the lungs and the skin in rare cases. A person suffering from rheumatoid arthritis tends to feel some sort of disability and tremendous pain in the joints. It leads to substantial loss of mobility and mostly the patients should confine to resting.
This disease can be diagnosed through blood tests and also by X-rays. The test is known as rheumatoid factor and this is generally carried out by the rheumatologists. They are specialists who treat diseases related to joints and the connective tissues.
This disease can be treated in a variety of ways. The non pharmacological therapies include physical and occupational therapies.
The various drugs involved in treating this disorder include Analgesia and drugs with anti inflammatory properties.
Steroids are used in suppressing the symptoms of RA. Drugs known as disease modifying antirheumatic drugs is used in reversing the whole process of the disease and also helps in preventing long term effects.
In the recent times biologists have developed a lot of new treatment techniques that are used extensively to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
Symptoms
Rheumatoid arthritis is mainly caused because of synovitis which is an inflammation of synovial membrane. Due to this the joints become swollen and a little stiff. The joints also become slightly warm and soft.
It mainly occurs in the joints of hands, cervical spine, and also the feet. Bigger joints like shoulder and the knee joint can also get affected. Synovitis leads to the erosion of joint surfaces and may lead to deformity and also loss of functionality.
The inflammation of the joints occurs that would make the joints soft, and kind of doughy. It would also cause pain and palpation on the joints. This can be used to distinguish between RA and other inflammatory diseases like osteoarthritis.
In RA, the joints will be affected in a symmetrical fashion and later turn asymmetrical. Rheumatoid arthritis is bound to affect different parts of the body apart from the joints like skin, lungs, kidney, heart and the blood vessels.
Diagnosis of RA
RA can be diagnosed with different techniques. X ray is used for diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis. X-ray of both, hands and feet is carried out on people who are having polyarthritis.
The x-ray will help in checking whether there is any erosion or resorption. Blood test will help in immunological studies of RA. Blood test will help in testing the presence of antibodies like rheumatoid factor.
If the blood tests are positive then the person has RA. A negative report does not really mean that the person is not having RA. In a lot of cases the initial tests are declared negative but after a while they turn out to be positive.
Loads of criterions have to be followed while performing diagnostic tests. At least four of the criteria should be met in order to prove that a person is an RA patient.
Rheumatoid arthritis does have cure and proper treatment can heal the case completely or to an extent.
Author Resource:-
John Goldman is one of the foremost advisors in matters relating to Health and Fitness .To learn more about Physical Fitness visit John Goldman's Health And Fitness Page
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.massagebyben.com/articles/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites 