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Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a disease which inflames the joints and tendons. Inflamed joints become red and swollen and often feel warm or even hot to the touch. Rheumatoid arthritis most commonly starts off in the hands, wrists and feet but can spread to other joints, or other parts of the body. Whilst there is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis . . . treatments which help to relieve the symptoms can work very well.

Rheumatoid Arthritis – The Cause

Nobody really knows why this diseases occurs, it can develop in people of all ages, although is most common between the ages of around 30 and 50 years. Women are more likely to suffer from rheumatoid arthritis than men, but nobody really knows whether it’s triggered by a certain gene or some other cause.

Rheumatoid Arthritis – As It Happens

Bodies usually become inflamed as their way of dealing with things . . . it’s a defence mechanism, but in the case of Rheumatoid arthritis the immune system kind of switches sides, actually attacking the body and not defending it. The inflammation around the joints and surrounding tissue then becomes stiff, swollen and very painful.

Affects of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis affects different people in different ways, so can prove to be pretty difficult to diagnose in some cases. Sometimes it will flare up and become more active, at other times it may be relatively inactive and cause very little problems at all. During a flare up of rheumatoid arthritis, however, you can expect;

• lots of pain and lack of strength and mobility in the affected joints
• a general feeling of being unwell and particularly tired
• extreme stiffness, particularly in the mornings . . . this will often loosen up as the day goes on

When rheumatoid arthritis flares up it can be very tempting to just stop all activity and take to your bed (if you get the chance) but it’s important to try and carry on as much as you can with your normal activities.

How To Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis can be treated by drugs, there are many different types of medication available to either relieve the pain, tackle the inflammation or slow the progression of the disease. Whilst this is all really in the hands of your doctor, there are some other things which you can do to help make the disease more manageable.

• Splints and other gadgets can help you to carry on with some of your normal everyday tasks. An occupational therapist will be able to advise you on what’s best for your individual needs . . . ways to make the best use of your joints without making the situation progressively worse.
• Exercises can help you to manage the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis too . . . your physiotherapist will be able to help you keep your muscles strong and keep a good amount of mobility in your joints.

Rheumatoid Arthritis – Why Are Women More At Risk

Unfortunately there is no definitive answer to that question, but there have been a few hormone related studies which might put a little light on the subject:

• Live birth history – some studies have shown that women who have never experienced a life birth have a “slight to moderately increased risk of Rheumatoid arthritis”.
• Breastfeeding – it has also been found in some studies that women who have breastfed have a slightly less risk of suffering from Rheumatoid arthritis.
• Menstrual history – some studies suggest that women who have early menopause may have an increased risk of Rheumatoid arthritis.