ARTHRITIS RHEUMATOID
Categories: Uncategorized | November 29th, 2007 | by admin | no comments
Arthritis is a common medical condition that is commonly experienced in elderly individuals as well as those individuals who have held a position requiring repetitiveness. There is a form of arthritis that can be much more debilitating, however, and that form is called Rheumatoid Arthritis or RA. Rheumatoid Arthritis is caused by a person’s immune system not recognizing its own body tissues, therefore, attacking them; which means that it is one of many autoimmune diseases. This form of arthritis can cause severe pain to the individual due mainly to stiffness of the joints and swelling. It can ultimately cause a loss of joint function and most commonly affects individuals between the ages of twenty-five to fifty-five. Severe cases of RA can also affect the eyes, lungs and mouth of individuals afflicted. Some individuals can have the disease for a lifetime while other, luckier, individuals may only experience these symptoms for a short while.
Testing for RA can be done by many methods; some of which are: Antinuclear Antibody Test, Fluorescent Antinuclear Antibody Test, C - reactive protein Test, and a CCP of which the formal name is Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Antibody. These tests can confirm the Rheumatoid factor in individuals and help physician’s determine treatment options for each unique case. Early diagnosis can help to minimize damage to other tissues of the body, therefore, it is extremely important to seek medical attention if you notice any of the following symptoms occurring in your body: continuous pain in the joints lasting for at least 3 months, stiffness or inflammation of the joint tissues of the body – preferably the same area for a relative period of time, and the inability to function properly due to the experienced symptoms. Many physicians will test the individual within a few days of contact to ensure that RA can be quickly treated if it is diagnosed.
Rheumatoid arthritis can be treated with regular diet maintenance, pharmaceuticals, rehabilitation, and other alternative therapies. This disease is not always curable but it is important that treatment is sought out by the individual affected.
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