Rheumatoid Arthritis

There have been some interest surrounding Rheumatoid Arthritis this past month. Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) affects over 2 million poeple in the United States. RA roughly begins between the ages of 25 and 45, while it cannot be passed along to your family, there is a specific gene that has been identified that can make your more likely to get RA. One fact that has been identified is that women are more suspeptable than men.

RA is an inflammatory process because your own immune system attacks your own cells, which is considered an autoimmune disorder. This can weaken your joints and in time deteriote bones and cartilage within your joints. Some common symptoms of RA include: fatigue, morning stiffness, muscle aches, loss of appitite and weakness, and joint pain. Othere symptoms, which are not as common, include: redness, swelling, round nodules on joints and skin, deformities, and a low grade fever.

Treatment include: Disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs): These drugs are the current standard of care for RA, in addition to rest, strengthening exercises, and anti-inflammatory drugs. Methotrexate (Rheumatrex) is the most commonly used DMARD for rheumatoid arthritis.Leflunomide (Arava) may be substituted for methotrexate. Anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen and others. Although NSAIDs work well, long-term use can cause stomach problems, such as ulcers and bleeding, and possible heart problems.

Physical Therapy can aid in pain relief and prevention by using range-of-motion exercises and individualized exercise programs prescribed by a physical therapist can delay the loss of joint function. Joint protection techniques, heat and cold treatments, and splints or orthotic devices to support and align joints may be very helpful.Sometimes therapists will use special machines to apply deep heat or electrical stimulation to reduce pain and improve joint mobility. Frequent rest periods between activities, as well as 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night, are recommended.

If you suspect you have RA, take the Rheumatoid Arthritis Screening Quiz found in the following link: http://arthritis.about.com/od/rheumatoidarthritis/l/blrheumarthquiz.htm
It is a good idea to seek your personal physician for blood specific tests (Rheumatoid Factor) to be specifically diagnosed as well as seeking the aid of a rheumatologist.

Sources:
Cecil's Essentials of Medicine, Carpenter, Griggs, Loscalzo
http://www.enbrel.com/ra/understanding-ra.jsp?channel=GOSEA&subchannel=SRAC
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/rheumatoid-arthritis/DS00020/DSECTION=4
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000431.htm