Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic autoimmune disorder that most commonly causes inflammation and tissue damage in joints (arthritis) and tendon sheaths, together with anemia.

It can also produce diffuse inflammation in the lungs, pericardium, pleura, and the sclera of the eye, and also nodular lesions, most common in subcutaneous tissue under the skin. It can be a disabling and painful condition, which can lead to substantial loss of functioning and mobility.

What is the difference between Rheumatoid arthritis and regular arthritis?

Most regular arthritis is caused by the wearing down of the joints due to older age and overuse. Rheumatoid, sometimes even affecting young people is called Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, an autoimmune disease.

What is the difference between Rheumatoid arthritis and Rheumatism?

Rheumatism or Rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the heart, bones, joints, kidney, skin and lung. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology.

When rheumatoid arthritis strikes, then the result would be an almost permanent pain in the affected area. And if this disease is not addressed accordingly, it becomes possible that its patient would suffer from lasting joint damages and eventual loss of their mobility functions. In other words, people with rheumatoid arthritis may become disabled.

Knowing The Signs And Symptoms Of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

It is important that rheumatoid arthritis is identified and diagnosed at the onset. If you think you have it, take a look at these signs and symptoms and compare them with yours.

1. Swelling, pain, stiffness, redness, and a warm sensation on the joints.

There are a lot of joints in the body. Following that concept, rheumatoid arthritis can possibly strike anywhere. If you feel any chronic pain on any part of your body, more particularly in the knees, neck, and shoulders, it is possible you have arthritis. Chronic pain means that the pain recurs from time to time.

There are various forms of arthritis. The pain you are feeling doesn't necessarily mean that you already have the condition. However, it would still be best to see a doctor just to be sure.

2. Thickening of the joint's lining.

Anytime that you feel the swelling in the joints had subsided but the area doesn't seem to be the same as it used to be, there is a high chance that the lining around the joints have already thickened. If you do have this condition, then you might just have rheumatoid arthritis. It should also be the time you go to a health care specialist for a more accurate diagnosis.

3. Your motor skills have gone haywire.

When the pains become too excruciating that you find yourself unable to move the way you normally would, it could be a sign of higher-stage rheumatoid arthritis. Your doctor will prescribe you the appropriate medications to help you deal with the condition.

Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis

There are different ways to test if a person definitely has rheumatoid arthritis. Here are some of the more popular methods doctors and professional health care practitioners use to confirm its presence.

1. The most basic test doctors conduct to identify rheumatoid arthritis is via X-ray.

This is usually the first test you are asked to undergo because it gives an overall view of the internal body. It is not able to confirm a hundred percent if rheumatoid arthritis is present, but it helps rule out other possible ailments. X-rays are also helpful in finding out the degree of the condition and at what stage it is progressing into.

2. Latex test. The latex test is the procedure used to specifically diagnose rheumatoid arthritis. This diagnostic process examines the blood and checks it for antibody known as the rheumatoid factor. Whenever there's an inflammation on the joints and its lining, the body reacts by secreting this type of antibody. Once the rheumatoid factor is detected in the blood, then there would be no doubt that the patient has rheumatoid arthritis.

3. Once rheumatoid arthritis has been confirmed, the doctor will immediately conduct a series of other tests to find out the Sedimentation Rate of the blood.

This is done through the extraction of a blood sample, which is left to settle for a while before examined. Finding blood that has a high sedimentation rate means the inflammation is active and growing.

These are the ways on how doctors perform diagnosis tests for rheumatoid arthritis among their patients. But it is still your responsibility to monitor your body's processes so that treating the disease becomes a lot easier. And at times, preventing the disease becomes possible even.

Further Information Regarding Rheumatoid Arthritis

SIMPONI Successful in Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
New SIMPONI(TM) Data Show Long-Term Efficacy in Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Patients with Active Rheumatoid Arthritis Receiving SIMPONI Demonstrated Sustained Improvements in Signs and Symptoms Through One Year.

Cimzia for Moderate to Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis
In adult patients with moderate to severely active rheumatoid arthritis, Cimzia(R) provided rapid and sustained improvements in ACR20, physical function, fatigue and pain as early as the first week, with sustained relief up to 100 weeks. Sustained inhibition of progression of structural joint damage was observed in patients treated with Cimzia(R) up to 100 weeks. Data from a post hoc analysis showed the speed of developing a clinical response to treatment with Cimzia(R) was important in improving long term outcomes for patients living with active RA.

Decline in Rheumatoid Vasculitis in US Veterans
Rheumatoid Vasculitis is a complication of severe RA, an autoimmune disease that causes painful inflammation of the joints. Approximately 2%-5% of RA patients develop RV, an extraarticular (occurring outside the joint) manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis, affecting small and medium-size arteries in the body.

Rheumatoid Arthritis - Depression and Inflammation Linked to Pain
Patients with RA experience pain, stiffness, swelling, and deterioration of joints. Severe chronic pain accompanied by progressive joint destruction, disability, and disfigurement is known to increase the risk of experiencing emotional disturbances, with RA patients twice as likely to be depressed as people in the general population. Emotional wellness for persons with RA plays a critical role in disease course and disability.

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis What is my Prognosis
This article discusses some of the prognostic factors used to guide arthritis specialists when they treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Evidence suggests there is a narrow window of opportunity, perhaps as slim as 3 months, in which aggressive treatment with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs can reduce x-ray damage and subsequent disability.

SIMPONI(TM) in Anti-TNF Experienced Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
A new analysis demonstrated that a greater proportion of patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who had prior treatment with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha agents and received subcutaneous injections of SIMPONI(TM) (golimumab) once every four weeks experienced significant improvements in signs and symptoms through week 24, compared with patients receiving placebo.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Feel the Disease Controls Their Lives
Results from the Rheumatoid Arthritis: Insights, Strategies & Expectations (RAISE) survey of more than 500 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients throughout Europe and Canada revealed a majority of patients still suffer from pain (79 percent), fatigue (67 percent) and joint stiffness (57 percent) on a regular basis despite current treatment, while more than half (51 percent) of RA patients feel their disease controls their life.

Difference Between Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis have got some similarities as well as differences. Their exact causes are not known. While osteoarthritis often accompanies aging, rheumatoid arthritis can occur in any age group and is also found in children and adults.

SIMPONI Approved for Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis
Canadian Approval Is World's First Regulatory Approval for SIMPONI. Centocor Ortho Biotech Inc. and Schering-Plough Corporation today announced that Health Canada has granted approval of SIMPONI (TM) (golimumab) as a once-monthly, subcutaneous therapy for the treatment of moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA), active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and active ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Rheumatoid Arthritis - New Treatment Possible?
Led by Wan-Uk Kim of Catholic University of Korea inSeoul, Korea, researchers analyzed blood and synovial fluid cells from RA patients and healthy controls and found that synovial cells were the major source of PIGF production in RA patients and that PIGF stimulates TNFa and IL-6 production.