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Rheumatoid Arthritis: People
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Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the immune system attacks the lining of joints, causing pain, stiffness and inflammation. The disease can ultimately cause joint destruction and disability. The condition is more common in women than in men and can be diagnosed in people in their 30s and 40s.
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Rheumatoid arthritis affects people differently. For some people, it lasts only a few months or a year or two and goes away without causing any noticeable damage. Other people have mild or moderate forms of the disease, with periods of worsening symptoms, called flares, and periods in which they feel better, called remissions. Still others have a severe form of the disease that is active most of the time, lasts for many years or a lifetime, and leads to serious joint damage and disability.
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Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the body's defence mechanisms go into action when there's no threat and start attacking the joints and sometimes other parts of the body. It's not yet known why the immune system acts in this way in some people.
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By all measures, the financial and social impact of all types of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, is substantial, both for the Nation and for individuals. From an economic standpoint, the medical and surgical treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and the wages lost because of disability caused by the disease add up to billions of dollars annually. Daily joint pain is an inevitable consequence of the disease, and most patients ... experience some degree of depression, anxiety, and feelings of helplessness. For some people, rheumatoid arthritis can interfere with normal daily activities, limit job opportunities, or disrupt the joys and responsibilities of family life. However, there are arthritis self-management programs that help people cope with the pain and other effects of the disease and help them lead independent and productive lives.
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There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis. For some people with mild symptoms, rest and good nutrition are all that's needed. For more severe flare-ups, rest, good nutrition, and medication will control symptoms. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, or indomethacin, are available over-the-counter and are effective in relieving pain and swelling, as is aspirin. Some people cannot take these types of drugs... because they have a peptic ulcer or kidney disease. Sometimes, corticosteroids such as prednisone, can be taken orally or injected directly into the joint to quickly stop the inflammation.
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The infamous symptom of rheumatoid arthritis is morning stiffness that lasts for at least an hour. Pain, redness and swelling may ... occur in the joints. The joint symptoms are usually (but not always) symmetric, if the left knee is affected, so is the right, etc. Other symptoms can include weight loss, fatigue, and fever; a general flu like feeling. In about 20% of people with RA, inflammation of small blood vessels can cause nodules, or lumps, under the skin. They are about the size of a pea or slightly larger, and are often located near the elbow, although they can show up anywhere.
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