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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory form of arthritis. RA is most noticeable in the joints, producing pain, swelling, and stiffness. It is a disorder that can influence the health of many other systems in the body.
The immune system comprises cells that protect the body and antibodies. In a healthy person, these cells defend against invading infectious pathogens. However, something goes awry in patients with RA, and the immune system erroneously directs these cells towards the person's healthy bodily parts. It is why RA is referred to be an autoimmune condition. When your immune system assaults your cells, chemicals are generated that cause joint swelling, damage, and a general sense of exhaustion and "illness." Inflammatory arthritis frequently causes pain and stiffness after periods of rest or inactivity, particularly in the morning. The swelling, redness, and warmth may be evident in the damaged joints, but the inflammation can also affect other parts of the body, including the eyes and the lining surrounding the heart.
Symptoms
The most common joint symptoms are pain, swelling, redness, and a restriction in the range of motion of the afflicted joints. These joints will be painful to pressure and may seem red on occasion. The immune system has been activated, and numerous cells grow, causing discomfort. If the inflammatory process is allowed to continue, it might cause joint injury.
A symmetric pattern of joint involvement in RA affects several joints on both sides of the body. For example, if your left knee is afflicted, your right knee will most likely be impacted.
The joints that are most prone to be impacted include the following,
Tiny hand and foot joints
Elbows
Knees
Ankles
Many additional joints might be impacted, including the cervical spine's neck joints, shoulders, hips, and temporomandibular joints.
External symptoms of inflammation indicate a potentially harmful disease process that can result in injury to bone, cartilage, and soft tissues like tendons. If left untreated, this might lead to deformities and functional limitations. Fortunately, we now have good medications that can halt inflammation and prevent additional harm in most patients. Fatigue is the most severe symptom in some people. Fortunately, our current RA drugs may frequently greatly relieve this condition.
Treatment
Although there is no rheumatoid arthritis treatment in Sarjapur Road, we know much about what causes RA and how to regulate it and avoid joint damage. It is accomplished by the early use of disease-modifying antirheumatic medications (DMARDs). These are critical for gaining quick illness management and avoiding joint erosions and long-term functional limitations.
RA is often treated with a cocktail of drugs designed to reduce swelling and discomfort while controlling the immune system. When nonsurgical approaches have failed to give long-term relief from pain and impairment, joint surgery, including joint replacement, may be explored. Fortunately, medications have improved over time, and fewer and fewer individuals require joint replacement due to RA.
Today, we have a better understanding of the pathophysiology and features of RA, as well as safe and effective drugs that can change the natural history of the disease and enhance function. We begin with the assumption that RA is very manageable, and the objective of our medicines is for our patients to have "no indication of illness" as much as feasible. This includes no redness, warmth, swelling, or pain and normal joint function with no stiffness. Bringing a patient to "low disease activity" and allowing the patient to be completely active may be appropriate in some situations, but the objective is to achieve complete remission. More people are achieving this aim as RA medications improve.
Other therapies are needed besides taking RA drugs, whether pills or injections. Most RA patients benefit from occupational and physical therapy and a home exercise regimen. Patients with RA should be informed about the benefits and drawbacks of various medicines to make the best decision in collaboration with their rheumatologist. Because there is no one ideal path for each patient, "joint decision making" with the rheumatologist is critical in RA. Book an appointment at Manipal Hospitals now.
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