The Diagnosis Of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis or “RA” is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system mistakenly attacks its own body tissues. This disease affects the lining of joints causing pain and swelling. Eventually the swelling can lead to bone erosion and joint deformity. RA can happen to anyone at any age, but the majority of people who have to endure this disease are women over the age of 40.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints. While inflammation of the tissue around the joints and inflammatory arthritis are characteristic features of rheumatoid arthritis, the disease can also cause inflammation and injury in other organs in the

Rheumatoid Arthritis(RA) is the most common type of autoimmune arthritis. RA is a progressive and debilitating musculoskeletal disorder that affects the joints symmetrically, causing a range of systemic effects. What it causes is still not well known; nevertheless, findings of new research points towards a believe that it is triggered by a defective immune system, which causes the release of inflammatory chemicals. These chemicals cause damage to cartilage and bone, usually affecting the wrists, the joints of the hand, including the knuckles, the middle joints of the fingers and feet. While this condition can affect any joints, besides, important body organs such as the eyes and the lungs can also be affected by the inflammation that occurs as a result of this chronic condition. Only in America 1.3 million of people are affected by this ailment, and 75 % of them are mainly women. Its onset usually occurs between fourth and sixth decades; however, RA can occur at any age("Diseases And

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic syndrome that is characterized by inflammation of the peripheral joints, but it may also involve the lungs, heart, blood vessels, and eyes. The prevalence of this autoimmune disease is between 0.3% to 1.5% of the population in the United States (Feinberg, pp 815). It affects women two to three times more often than men, and the onset of RA is usually between 25 and 50 years of age, but it can occur at any age (Reed, pp 584). RA can be diagnosed by establishing the presence of persistent joint pain, swelling in a symmetric distribution, and prolonged morning stiffness. RA usually affects multiple joints, such as the hands, wrists, knees, elbows, feet, shoulders, hips, and small

“Rheumatoid arthritis is a type of chronic arthritis that occurs in joints on both sides of the body, such as both hands, both wrists, or both knees. This symmetry helps distinguish rheumatoid arthritis from other types of arthritis”. If a joint is deemed as arthritic that means that there is inflammation within the joint. Inflammation within a joint can cause swelling, redness, warmth and pain within that joint. Rheumatoid arthritis primarily affects the joints, but may also affect the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, blood, or nerves. Rheumatoid arthritis can present itself in many different ways. For some, joint symptoms develop gradually over several years, while others may develop quickly. Some people are affected by rheumatoid arthritis for a short

RA can lead to crippling. It incapacitates the synovial tissue, which is the membrane that lines joints and secretes the lubricant that normally allows bones to move painlessly against other bones. With this condition, joints (most commonly the

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systematic inflammatory disease characterized by synovitis (constant inflammation of the synovial membranes) and autoantibodies. The disease that affects 0.5-1.0% of all adults in industrialized countries, mostly women and elderly people (Scott et al, 2010). In the United States, more than 1.5 million people suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, making it one of the most common auto-immune disease (Carmona et al. 2010). According to the Arthritis Foundation, individuals who suffer from arthritis have to deal with joint pain, morning stiffness, fatigue, loss of appetite, depressive symptoms, and low-grade fever which can last a few days to weeks. Individuals with this disease tend to have a low-quality of life and difficulties with day-to-day activities.

Today in the United States there is an estimated 1.3 million people living and dealing with rheumatoid arthritis (Arthritis Foundation). One might ask, what exactly is rheumatoid arthritis? Well, rheumatoid arthritis, also commonly known as RA, is a form of inflammatory disease and an autoimmune disease. If the person is a minor, or below the age of six-teen, then the chronic disease can also go by the name of juvenile arthritis. The juvenile arthritis is, “Defined as chronic inflammation of the synovial joints, with unknown etiology, which starts before the age of sixteen and persists for at least six weeks” (Hink et al 1). This disease can affect anyone with a functioning immune system. Out of the 1.3 million people in the United States that have rheumatoid arthritis, 70% of that number is women (RA.com). Once again there are no certain reasons as to who receives this disease whether its children, elders, Caucasians, African Americans, etc. But once they do receive the illness, then it affects them immensely. “The disease is systemic, meaning it can occur throughout the whole body. It’s a chronic disease, so it can’t be cured” (Arthritis Foundation). The pain, stiffness and fatigue can affect the entire body. “RA occurs when your immune system, the system that protects your body from outside harm, mistakenly starts attacking healthy tissue” (RA.com). Rheumatoid arthritis is an incurable disease that is affecting

Rheumatoid Arthritis, what is it? The word Rheumatoid comes from the greek word referring to rheumatism, which means any painful disorder from the joints. Arthritis means inflammation of the joint. (William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979). Putting these two words together Rheumatoid Arthritis creates a disorder. The pathophysiology of RA is that it is a chronic, systemic, inflammatory autoimmune disease which means that this disorder is attacking your own body (Silvestri, 2013, p. 851 ). This usually happens at the joints where two bones meet that create movement of body parts. This disorder is systemic and usually if it happens one side,

Rheumatoid Arthritis or (RA) is an autoimmune disease that attacks the joints and connective tissue. The result is inflammation that produces permanent damage in the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic syndrome that tends to be progressive and destructive as compared to Osteoarthritis or (OA), which is more of an age related disease caused by “wear and tear” of the joints. In contrast to (OA), rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by inflammation mostly of the joints, but is a general body disease.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease associated with swelling and pain in multiple joints. First joint tissue to be affected is the synovial membrane, which lines joint cavity. Multiple immune-regulatory cytokines (such as B-cells and interleukins) contribute to joint damage. Eventually, inflammation may spread to articular cartilage, fibrous joint capsule, and surrounding ligaments and tendons, causing pain, joint deformity, and loss of function.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an inflammatory disease that affects the small joints in your hands and feet. It affects the lining of your joints causing pain and swelling. Which can eventually cause bone erosion and joint deformity? An autoimmune disorder, rheumatoid arthritis occurs when your immune system attacks its own body tissue. This disease can occur at any age but usually between the age of 40 and 60 years of age. Rheumatoid arthritis usually attacks your smaller joints first, such as those that attach your fingers to your hands, and your toes to your feet. As the disease progresses, symptoms sometimes spread to the wrists, knees, ankles, elbows, hips and shoulders. Over time it can cause your joints to deform and shift out of place.(National

Rheumatoid Arthritis had a couple of different names such as arthritis deformans, and rheumatoid gout (Mandal, 2009). However with the studies conducted by Alfred Garrod, he was able to make a clear distinction between Rheumatoid Arthritis and osteoarthritis and gout (Mandal, 2009). Rheumatoid Arthritis has been around for quite some time, and it seems as if it is very prevalent in the present times as well.

Arthritis is a term that is used to describe any disorders that affects the joints, ranging from limited areas, self-limiting conditions, to the systemic immune-mediated processed. The form, severity of the symptoms, and the complexity of the treatments can vary depending on the type of the disease. The various rheumatic conditions share a noticeable or accompanying symptom of the joint inflammation (Porth, 2015, p. 1119).

There are many different types of arthritis and they affect many people. Rheumatoid Arthritis, also known as RA, is a common disease found in my family. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that causes inflammation of the joints. According to, Maripat Corr in the article “Introduction” Rheumatoid Arthritis can lead to deformities and structural damage that can lead to people suffering socially and economically. According to Mayo Clinic Staff in the article “Diseases and Conditions” Rheumatoid Arthritis is an “autoimmune disorder” and occurs when your immune system attacks the tissues of your body. Rheumatoid Arthritis can affect more than your joints. It can also affect the skin, eyes, lungs and blood vessels. Rheumatoid Arthritis is a