Rheumatoid Arthritis- Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Do you wake up daily with stiff and painful joints? This means you have rheumatoid arthritis, a disorder that causes inflammation and severe to mild pains in joints. The doctors term it as an auto-immune condition caused when the immune system attacks the body’s healthy tissues.

Generally, RA starts in adults and is most common in older people. This joint condition can be cured through various treatment methods like medicines, therapy and home remedies. If you feel pain or stiffness of joints regularly, do not ignore it; consult a physician and treat it immediately.

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What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic auto-immune disorder that affects your joints. The immune system goes awry and attacks your body's healthy cells, which results in severe pain in joints. It generally starts with hands and feet, but if ignored, it can damage other parts and organs of the body.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis?

RA mainly affects the joints in the hands, wrists and knees. Signs of rheumatoid arthritis include –

Pain, ache and stiffness of joints.
Swelling around the affected area.
Same symptoms on both sides of your body can be observed.
Deformity and abnormal functioning of joints.
Weakness and fatigue.
Fever with low temperatures.
Loss of appetite.

What Are the Types of Rheumatoid Arthritis?

There are mainly three types of RA, they are –

Seropositive RA

An individual whose blood consists of a specific protein, RF (Rheumatic Factor), may develop RA. A family history of positive RF also increases the risk by four times.

Seronegative RA

People who have negative RF and anti-CCP blood have milder RA than those who tested positive.

Juvenile RA

It is the most common type of RA found in children below 17 years. Symptoms are similar to adult RA but can hinder a child’s growth and development.

What Are the Different Stages of Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Some signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can be felt and others cannot, but it happens in stages as follows –

Stage	Symptoms
Stage 1 – Early Stage	Inflammation inside joint, mild pain, stiffness, redness and tenderness.
Stage 2 – Moderate Stage	Pain and loss of mobility, and inflammation damages the cartilages.
Stage 3 – Severe Stage	Physical joint deformities, formation of rheumatoid nodules, and a further decrease in mobility.
Stage 4 – End Stage	Decrease of inflammation, and functional capability of joints that are more severe, chronic and disabling

What Are the Risk Factors of Rheumatoid arthritis?

According to the researchers, women are more susceptible to rheumatoid arthritisthan men. Other characteristics that increase the risk factors of RA are as follows -

RA can occur regardless of age but is more common among people in their sixties.
People born with HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen), a specific gene, are more susceptible to show symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
Smoking also increases the risk of RA.
Women who have no history of live births can be exposed to the risk of RA.
An obese person is at a higher risk of developing RA.
Consuming high sodium, sugar and iron content food can develop RA.

What Are the Treatment Options for Rheumatoid Arthritis?

You cannot cure rheumatoid arthritis but it can be treated to prevent further complications. Medication, home remedies, exercises and dietary changes are types of treatment that one is prescribed.

1. Medication

Some drugs relieve pain and inflammation while others slow down the condition's progression.

NSAIDs – Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce pain and inflammation.
Corticosteroids – Drugs that reduce pain, inflammation, and slow down joint damage.
Conventional DMARD’s – These disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) slow down the progress of RA and save joints and tissues from permanent damage.
Biologic Agents – New-gen DMARDs or artificial versions of proteins that target inflammation instead of blocking the immune system.
Targeted Synthetic DMARDs – This drug contains higher doses of Bio-DMARD’s. Given only in rare cases where the patient’s body does not respond to other medications.

2. Home Remedies

A person diagnosed with RA can take some home remedies to improve quality of life.

Exercise – Some low-impact exercises can improve mobility of joints and strengthen muscles.
Get Enough Sleep – Get enough rest to reduce inflammation, pain and fatigue.
Apply Heat and Cold – Alternate ice packs and hot bags to help relieve muscle spasms and stiffness.

3. Therapy

A doctor may prescribe physiotherapy sessions to help you learn certain exercises or use assistive devices to slow down the progression of RA.

4. Surgery

If medications fail surgery may be required to prevent or slow down the damage of joints. The surgeries include –

Synovectomy
Tendon repair
Joint fusion
Total joint replacement

How to Prevent Rheumatoid Arthritis?

To prevent RA, specific measures can be taken, which includes –

Avoid or quit smoking.
Limit alcohol intake.
Improve your oral health.
Avoid long term use of glucocorticoids.
Increase fish and reduce red meat intake.
Maintain a healthy body weight ratio.
Exercise regularly.

What Are the Side Effects of Rheumatoid Arthritis?

RA can bring a lot of other health complications like –

Chest pain and premature heart disease.
Carpal tunnel syndrome.
Interstitial lung disease.
Pulmonary fibrosis.
Eye conditions like Uveitis and scleritis.
Inflammation of the blood vessels
Cervical myelopathy.
Pneumonia.
Gastrointestinal haemorrhage.
Pancytopenia.
Lymphoma.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, lifelong disease of joints that can hinder your lifestyle. Not opting for the right treatment can give rise to further complications and damage the lungs, heart and kidneys. RA can be caused due to genes, environment or can be acquired from a family member.

The effects and symptoms may vary from person to person, ranging from mild to severe. In some cases, signs of RA may stop for extended periods but will get worse with time. An early diagnosis can make a big difference in restricting these symptoms. If you experience slightest signs take home remedies and consult a doctor to prevent any further progression of the disease.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Can rheumatoid arthritis be cured?

Rheumatoid arthritis cannot be cured but can be treated to prevent the further progression of the disease. Treatment should start as early as possible to dampen the effects of RA.

Can rheumatoid arthritis paralyse you?

The signs and symptoms of RA include immobility of joints, inflammation, pain, etc. If not treated early, it can lead to paralysis, leaving you completely immobile.