Rheumatoid arthritis

Some people have sore joints.

Their joints feel warm and puffy. This can happen in the hands and feet. It can also happen in the same spot on both sides of the body.

Inside the body, the system that fights germs attacks the joints. This makes the joints swell up. It can also hurt the bone and the parts that help joints move.

Moving can feel hard or stiff. This often feels worse after resting.

Doctors use medicine to help. They also use tools like braces to help people move better.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term health problem. It mostly affects the joints.

In this condition, the immune system attacks the joints. The immune system is the part of the body that fights germs. This attack causes swelling and warmth in the joints. It can also make the bone and cartilage hurt. Most people feel stiffness after they rest. This stiffness is often worse in the morning.

Joints in the hands and wrists are often involved. The same joints are usually affected on both sides of the body. Over time, the joints can change shape. This is called a deformity. One example is a swan neck deformity. This makes a finger look like a swan's neck.

This disease can also affect other parts of the body. It can affect the eyes, lungs, and heart. Some people also feel very tired or have a fever. Doctors use X-rays and tests to help find the disease. They use medicine to reduce pain and swelling. Some people also use braces to help them move.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term health condition. It is an autoimmune disorder. This means the body's immune system attacks its own joints.

Most people feel warmth, swelling, and pain in their joints. This stiffness often feels worse after resting. It is very common to feel stiff in the morning. This stiffness can last for more than one hour.

The disease often affects the hands and wrists. It usually affects the same joints on both sides of the body. This is called a symmetrical pattern. It can also affect other parts of the body like the eyes, lungs, and heart.

How the disease works is a step-by-step process. First, the immune system attacks the synovial membrane. This is the lining of the joint.

This attack causes inflammation and thickening of the joint capsule. The inflammation can lead to the loss of movement. It can also cause the bone and cartilage to wear away. This is called erosion. Over time, this can change the shape of the joints. These changes are called deformities. One example is the swan neck deformity. Another example is a Z-shaped thumb.

People have studied this condition for a long time. The first recognized description was made in 1800. A doctor named Augustin Jacob Landré-Beauvais wrote about it. He lived from 1772 to 1840 and worked in Paris. The name comes from Greek words. It means "watery and inflamed joints." Doctors use X-rays to see the damage to the bones. They also use laboratory testing to help make a diagnosis. These tests help them rule out other diseases. Some other diseases look similar, like fibromyalgia.

There are many important facts about how many people have this. As of 2020, about 17.6 million people had rheumatoid arthritis. In the developed world, it affects 0.5% to 1% of adults. Every year, between 5 and 50 people per 100,000 develop it. Women are affected 2.5 times as often as men. Most people start to show signs during middle age. In 2020, the condition resulted in 38,300 deaths. This was higher than the 28,000 deaths recorded in 1990.

Doctors have many ways to help people manage the disease. The main goals are to reduce pain and swelling. They also want to help people move better. Some people use splints or braces to support their joints. Others use assistive devices to help with daily tasks. Medicines like steroids or NSAIDs help with the pain. Doctors may also use DMARDs to slow the disease down. These are called disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. If those do not work, they might use biological DMARDs. In some cases, surgery can repair or replace a joint.

Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, is a chronic autoimmune disorder. This means the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissues. While it primarily targets the joints, it is a systemic disease. This means it can affect many different parts of the body at once.

The condition causes joints to become warm, swollen, and painful. A common sign is stiffness that worsens after periods of rest. This morning stiffness is a prominent feature. It often lasts for more than one hour after waking up.

The disease works through a specific biological process within the joints. It begins when the immune system attacks the synovial membrane. This is the thin lining that surrounds the joint.

This attack leads to synovitis, which is inflammation of that lining. As the inflammation continues, the joint capsule becomes thick and swollen. This process can eventually damage the underlying cartilage and bone. This damage is known as erosion.

Over time, the destruction of the joint surface can lead to permanent deformities.

These deformities can take several distinct shapes depending on which joints are involved. One common type is the swan neck deformity. This involves hyperextension at one joint and flexion at another. Another specific type is called the "Z-thumb" or Z-deformity. This gives the thumb a Z-like appearance due to joint shifting. In very severe cases, the condition is known as arthritis mutilans. This term describes the mutilating nature of the physical changes to the joints.

Medical history shows that humans have recognized this condition for a long time. The first formal description of RA was made in 1800. Dr. Augustin Jacob Landré-Beauvais provided this description in Paris. He lived from 1772 to 1840. The very name "rheumatoid arthritis" is actually based on Greek words. It translates to "watery and inflamed joints." Today, doctors use X-rays and laboratory tests to confirm a diagnosis. These tests help them distinguish RA from similar diseases like fibromyalgia or lupus.

Statistics show that RA is a widespread health issue. As of 2020, approximately 17.6 million people were living with the condition. In the developed world, it affects between 0.5% and 1% of adults. Each year, between 5 and 50 people per 100,000 develop the disease. Women are affected 2.5 times as often as men. Most people experience the onset of symptoms during middle age. In 2020, the disease was linked to 38,300 deaths. This was an increase from the 28,000 deaths reported in 1990.

Beyond the joints, RA can impact many other bodily systems. It affects the eyes, causing dryness or inflammation. It can also impact the lungs through conditions like lung fibrosis. The heart is also at risk, as RA increases the chance of a heart attack or stroke. Some people may also develop rheumatoid nodules in their skin. These nodules are inflammatory reactions called necrotizing granulomas. They often appear over bony areas like the elbows or knuckles. Even the blood is affected, often causing a low red blood cell count known as anemia.

Treatment focuses on reducing inflammation and improving how a person functions. Doctors often prescribe pain medications and steroids to manage symptoms. To slow the actual progression of the disease, they use DMARDs. These are disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, such as methotrexate. If standard DMARDs do not work, biological DMARDs may be used.

While effective, these biological drugs can have a higher rate of adverse effects. Physical tools like splints, braces, or assistive devices also help with daily movement. In some advanced situations, surgery may be used to repair or replace a joint.