Arthritis is a pretty common joint disorder. Every other person has arthritis these days. It has many types and among the most common ones, there is rheumatoid arthritis. It’s an inflammatory and autoimmune disease in which your immune system starts attacking healthy cells in your body, causing inflammation and leaving you in chronic pain.
Rheumatoid arthritis typically attacks the joints in your body. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 58.5 million adults in the US are diagnosed with some kind of arthritis every year. Rheumatoid arthritis is usually the most common of them all.
In this article today, we’re going to check out everything there is to know about rheumatoid arthritis. If anything, this guide will help you understand what the disorder is, how it manifests, and how it can be treated. Let’s have a look:
Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
The symptoms of arthritis vary from person to person. It also depends on the severity of the disease. However, a few common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include:
- Joint pain and stiffness
- Tenderness and rashes around the affected joints
- Restricted movement and decreased mobility
- Weak bones and poor appetite
Treatment Options for Rheumatoid Arthritis
There is no permanent cure for rheumatoid arthritis. It’s a lifelong illness that stays with you. However, a number of treatment options exist to manage the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
The treatment option given to the patient depends on the severity of the symptoms. Here I have a list of all the possible treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are usually prescribed to manage mild to moderate joint pain.
- Medicinal herbs, including medical marijuana edibles, are also beneficial for mild to moderate joint pain. They’re natural, so they have no side effects.
- Corticosteroids are an option in case of chronic pain. They’re also prescribed to people who develop resistance to NSAIDs over time.
- Biologic agents are also recommended by some experts for pain management in rheumatoid arthritis. They’re given in combination with conventional DMARDs for effective results.
- Physiotherapy is another beneficial treatment option. It’s the best thing if you want to avoid medicine and increase your range of motion and flexibility naturally.
- Lastly, if nothing else works, you may be recommended to go for surgery. Surgical options include joint replacement, joint fusion, tendon repairment, and synovectomy.
Risk Factors Associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Since rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder, there’s no exact cause of the disease. Nobody really knows why it happens and how it suddenly grows. However, there
are a few things that can increase your odds of getting the disease. They are as follows:
- Obesity or a lazy lifestyle
- History of live births
- Age as older adults are more prone to it
- Genetics as hereditary factors are involved
- A history of smoking
- Gender as preliminary research shows the disease is more common among females than males
The Takeaway
Last but not least, I want you to know that many people with rheumatoid arthritis are living normal and successful lives. It may affect the quality of your life for a while but with proper management of its symptoms, you can fight it off.
Just make sure to consult your physician in case you notice any such symptoms and seek treatment immediately. Also, please don’t forget the herbal remedies as they’re sometimes more helpful than allopathic medicines. I wish you all the best, pals!