What should you know about rheumatoid arthritis?

Posted By Suborna Fermi Posted on Dec 06, 2023

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes inflammation and pain around the joints. This can affect other body parts as well. Early diagnosis of this disease may help prevent joint damage; therefore, it is essential to have knowledge about its signs and symptoms. Read on to find out the symptoms, causes, and diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.

What is rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes severe joint pain and inflammation. It is also a systemic condition that can affect the whole body. This condition develops when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy body cells or tissues.

This type of arthritis causes joint damage on both sides of the body. For example, if a joint in one hand is affected, then possibly the same joint on the other hand will be affected too. RA mainly affects the joints of the hands, wrists, shoulders, elbows, knees, ankles, and feet. Although there is no permanent treatment for this disease, early diagnosis and treatment can help manage the condition and prevent further joint damage.

What are the types of rheumatoid arthritis?

There are mainly three types of rheumatoid arthritis, such as:

• Seropositive rheumatoid arthritis: If you have a positive rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-CCP blood test result, then you might have seropositive RA. This means that you have antibodies that trigger your immune system to attack the joints.
• Seronegative rheumatoid arthritis: If you have negative results of both rheumatoid factor and anti-CCP tests, but are still having rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, then you might have seronegative RA.
• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA): This condition was previously known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, which develops in children ages 17 or younger. JIA causes similar symptoms to those of the other rheumatoid arthritis types; however, it also causes eye inflammation as well as issues with physical development.

What are the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis?

The main symptoms of this condition are swelling and pain around the joints. The most common symptoms include:

• Pain in more than one joint
• Stiffness and swelling in more than one joint
• Same joint symptoms on both sides of the body
• Loss of joint functions
• Low-grade fever
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Low appetite

These symptoms may get worse during flares or exacerbation periods. Also, the symptoms completely disappear during the remission period.

What causes rheumatoid arthritis?

RA is an autoimmune disorder, which means it occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks healthy body cells or tissues. However, the exact cause of RA is still unknown. Scientists believe that several risk factors, such as age, genetics, sex, obesity, poor diet, and smoking, can contribute to rheumatoid arthritis.

How is RA diagnosed?

To diagnose a RA condition, your doctor will first do a physical examination to check for joint inflammation and will suggest certain lab tests, such as a rheumatoid factor test and anti-CCP. You can find this at Thyrocare, and a Thyrocare blood test offers free home sample collection. Your doctor might also suggest an imaging test, including X-rays, MRIs and ultrasounds.

Although there is no permanent treatment for RA, there are many ways to manage the condition. Doctors generally suggest medications, dietary changes, and specific types of exercise to manage RA symptoms and increase mobility.