Rheumatoid Arthritis
What is rheumatoid arthritis?
From studies it is found that Rheumatoid arthritis is very common and around 3-4% of the UK population suffers from rheumatoid arthritis. Many people have misunderstanding that Rheumatoid arthritis is hereditary, well it is a myth. Rheumatoid arthritis is not hereditary. And a person can suffer from rheumatoid arthritis in any age. Children suffering from rheumatoid arthritis to adults suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Normally it is observed most common age for rheumatoid arthritis is between 30 and 50.
From studies it is also found that rheumatoid arthritis normally tends to affect women more than man.
Rheumatoid arthritis disease causes pain in body joints. Due to various reasons like wear and tear of the bones etc causes inflammation. Because of the inflammation the blood flow to the join increases to that part of the body. Due to increased blood flow the cells tend to build up a membrane around the inflamed joint and this causes swelling. This results in stretching of capsules around the joint which causes tremendous pain. The chemicals produced by the inflammation also irritates the joints. In early rheumatoid arthritis diagnoses there is lot possibility that it can be stopped from growing into worse rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid Arthritis symptoms
Following are some of the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis observed:
- Swelling of joints
- Continuous pain in joins
- Loose mobility of joints.
- Thinning of bones
- Deformation of bones.
- Some times out growing of bones
These symptoms are found particularly for fingers, wrists, knees, neck and toes. Because of decreased mobility and deformation of bones people are not able to work or move.
Allergens to rheumatoid arthritis
Here are some of the allergens or certain foods which cause or triggers more pain instead of causing the rheumatoid arthritis. Citrus fruit, tea, coffee, alcohol, tomatoes, potatoes, aubergines, dairy products, red meat etc should be avoided by people having rheumatoid arthritis.
Treating rheumatoid arthritis
- Pain killers are some external drug which can be given if the person is going through tremendous pain. Though pain killers cannot cure rheumatoid arthritis. The person has to undergo special treatment for rheumatoid arthritis to cure rheumatoid arthritis.
- Anti-inflammatories
- Anti-rheumatic drugs, help to reduce the joint pain, because these drugs reduces the growth process of rheumatoid. Actually rheumatoid arthritis treatment process is a very slow and long term process, it may take months to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Anti-rheumatic drugs normally contain sulphasalazine, gold, d-penicillamine and methotrexate.
- Cyclosporin
- Physiotherapy treatment helps people to certain extent. Physiotherapy treatment is very necessary for treating rheumatoid arthritis, because of the joint pain and less mobility people tend to leave walking and exercise, this results into increase in weight and obesity. Obesity adds more pain to the joint. So physiotherapy will help to reduce or at least maintain weight.
- Corticosteroids, these injections are given in the joints to relieve from pain caused due to inflammation.
- There are many joint replacement treatments available to get relief from the joint pain. These joint replacement treatments are suggested by many orthopedic surgeons. The pros and cons of the joint replacement treatment depends lot on which joint is going to be replaced. There is a difference between knee joint replacement and finger joint replacement. It severity of joint replacement depends upon the damage of the joint and the complexity of the operation.
Before consuming any rheumatoid arthritis drugs or any rheumatoid arthritis treatment please discuss any allergies you have from drugs, treatments etc with your doctor. If this discussion is overlooked then there might so happen that you would be having many other problems other than rheumatoid arthritis.
