Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
Medical Author: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
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Living With Rheumatoid Arthritis
Mrs. K. D. is a 43 year old wife and mother of two children and suffers from severe rheumatoid arthritis.
This is her story...
 This article is not about my disease itself or its treatment, but about the way it affects what I do throughout my day. My disease has caused deformity of my hands and feet. My fingers are recognizably gnarled and have bumps, called nodules. My wrists have nearly fused so that I can move them very little. My toes have cocked up and I have calluses under the pads at the bottoms of my feet. My knees are chronically slightly swollen as are many of the small joints of my knuckles. Things that most people take for granted for example sleeping, bathing, brushing your teeth, getting dressed, making meals, and even driving a car; for me, are extremely challenging.
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What is rheumatoid arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints. Rheumatoid
arthritis can also cause inflammation of the tissue around the joints, as well
as in other organs in the body. Autoimmune diseases are illnesses that occur when
the body tissues are mistakenly attacked by its own immune system. The immune
system is a complex organization of cells and antibodies
designed normally
to "seek and destroy" invaders of the body, particularly
infections. Patients with autoimmune diseases have antibodies in their blood
that target their own body tissues, where they can be associated with
inflammation. Because it can affect multiple other organs of the body,
rheumatoid arthritis is referred to as a systemic illness and is sometimes
called rheumatoid disease.
While rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic
illness, meaning it can last for years, patients may experience long
periods without symptoms. Typically, however, rheumatoid arthritis is a progressive illness that has the potential to cause joint destruction and functional disability.
A joint is where two bones meet to allow movement of body
parts. Arthritis means joint inflammation. The joint inflammation of rheumatoid
arthritis causes swelling, pain, stiffness, and redness in the
joints. The inflammation of rheumatoid disease can also occur in tissues around the
joints, such as the tendons, ligaments, and muscles.
In some patients with
rheumatoid arthritis, chronic inflammation leads to the destruction of the cartilage, bone, and ligaments, causing
deformity of the joints. Damage to the joints can occur early in the disease and be progressive. Moreover, studies have shown that the progressive damage to the joints does not necessarily correlate with the degree of pain, stiffness, or swelling present in the joints.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a common rheumatic disease,
affecting approximately 1.3 million people in the United States, according to current census data. The disease is
three times more common in women as in men. It afflicts people of all races
equally. The disease can begin at any age, but it most often starts after age
40
and before 60. In some families, multiple members can be affected, suggesting
a genetic basis for the disorder.
Next: What causes rheumatoid arthritis? »
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