Live Life Team
The statistics from a survey show that in UK number of affected people is greater as compared to other countries when it comes to rheumatoid arthritis. As per estimation results, 350000 people get affected with this disease and women are the primary victim of this condition in comparison to men. It is a condition in which patient will suffer from pain, swelling in the joints. The joints become stiff and leave the individual with feeling of being tired all the time. Joints of hands as well as feet gets affected more than any other parts of human body under this condition. It normally attacks the immune system of the body and soon one feels the symptoms taking over the body. If the immune system is weak, it attacks the joints and damages them majorly. Patient may be even rendered in a bad state, even unable to walk or work. The symptoms of this disease keep coming back and may lead to dismay. In extreme situations, patient may be left bedridden.
Symptoms
Joints of hands as well as feet get affected more as compared to other parts of the body. Symptoms will develop slowly in your fingers as well as toes. As per the medical terms, flare-ups appear time to time and will worsen the condition of the person. These will become painful in the morning when the patient wakes up. Joint stiffness, warmth, redness, loss of appetite, anaemia are the general symptoms of the patient suffering from Rheumatoid arthritis. In some cases, salivary glands, heart, lungs, blood vessel of a person too can get affected by the extreme consequences of the condition.
Causes
Research for exact cause of the first attack is still underway and no concrete information is available yet. Based on the researches done till date, it has been found that an infection or virus causes the first attack of Rheumatoid arthritis. In case if the persons immune system gets shot, then the body starts producing antibodies which in turn will affect the joints, and the surroundings areas. Rheumatoid arthritis is also caused genetically which has been flowing through the family, though women are mostly affected with this disease. There is a female hormone known as oestrogen which has been attributed to the development of this disease.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of this disease is done by the doctor by a physical examination of the patient. He will check the swelling as well by seeing the movement of the limbs. Symptoms are quite widespread making it tougher to pin point to the actual cause of the problem. At the time of diagnosis, it’s advisable that all the symptoms of the disease be told to the doctor so that a proper case history and analysis can be done on the condition. After the physical examination, doctors would want to go through the complete medical history of the patient and their family to find out any genetic relation to the problem. Patient would also need to undergo several tests like blood test, C-reactive protein test, MRI scans, X-Rays for the doctor to come to a conclusion on the problem area.
Treatment
Based on the diagnosis result; doctor will give medication to the patient so that the pain as well as stiffness in the joints gets reduced. Proper treatment can also help in preventing any joint damages. If the conditions are severe then the patient may need to go through surgery procedures. Patients can help themselves by changing their lifestyle. Also few exercises for the joints to reduce the pain may also be suggested by the doctor. Massages and acupuncture are the other procedures which can follow the treatment.
