If not treated early, the effects of RA can go beyond the joints and can spread to other parts of the body, such as the lungs, heart, and eyes.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease in which your immune system mistakenly attacks healthy body tissues, causing inflammation. In RA, the joints of the hands, wrists, feet, and knees are mainly affected. Typically, the disease causes the joints to become inflamed and shows a variety of symptoms, including pain and stiffness in the joints. RA affects the lining of the joint called the synovium, causing inflammation of the synovium and destruction of the articular cartilage, leading to chronic pain and deformity.
If not treated early, the effects of RA can go beyond the joints and can spread to other parts of the body, such as the lungs, heart, and eyes.
What complications can RA cause in different organs?
When RA is not treated properly, it can lead to a number of serious complications and can develop in various organs, including the lungs, eyes, skin, and heart.
Lungs: Rheumatoid arthritis can cause interstitial lung disease that presents as a chronic cough and shortness of breath on exertion. Airway involvement can also lead to reactive airway disease and bronchiectasis.
Eyes: When you are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, your eyes may feel severely dry or swollen. If you often have dry eyes, it is recommended that you have them checked out by a doctor and treated appropriately.
Skin: Skin rashes and ulcers on arms and legs can be seen among people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.
Heart: Untreated rheumatoid arthritis for a long time can put patients at twice the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and stroke.
What are the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis?
Signs and symptoms of RA include pain and swelling in multiple joints, severe morning joint stiffness, joint tenderness, weight loss, fever, fatigue, weakness, and tiredness. Since RA is a progressive disease, these symptoms often get worse. However, with prompt treatment, the progression of RA can be managed effectively.
What causes RA?
While the exact cause of RA is unknown, certain factors such as age, gender, genetics, and illicit habits such as smoking, pregnancy, and obesity can increase the risk of developing the disease.
Although RA can start at any age, its incidence increases with age. The onset of RA is highest among older people in the age group 60 years and older. People with a genetic history of RA, smokers, and obese people are also at higher risk of getting RA.
Several studies have also indicated that women are more likely to develop RA than men and have a 2-3 times higher risk. These studies have also highlighted that women who have never given birth or have late pregnancies are also at increased risk of developing RA.
How is RA diagnosed and what is the treatment method?
If you have the signs and symptoms of RA, you should see a doctor (rheumatologist) who will diagnose the disease by reviewing your symptoms, performing a physical exam, and performing x-rays and laboratory tests. It is recommended that they be diagnosed within 6 weeks of the onset of symptoms, to stop or slow the progression of the disease. Early diagnosis and treatments can suppress or control inflammation which can help reduce the damaging effects of RA.
Treatment of the disease involves the use of drugs called disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) that slow down the disease and prevent joint deformity. Biologic DMARDs are an effective second-line treatment. In addition, people can also adopt various self-management strategies that can reduce pain, prevent disability, and allow them to do the activities they want to do.
How can you control RA and improve your quality of life?
Although RA can significantly affect your daily life, fortunately, there are multiple strategies through which you can improve your quality of life:
Physical activity: Getting 150 minutes a week of moderate physical activity, such as walking, swimming, or bicycling for 30 minutes a day for five days a week, can not only improve your quality of life, but may also reduce your risk of developing other chronic diseases such as heart disease. illness, diabetes and depression.
Take a self-management education class: You can gain confidence by taking a self-management class, as it will provide you with information on how you can manage your symptoms and live well with the disease.
Quit smoking and maintain a healthy weight: Cigarette smoking can worsen the disease, reduce the response to medications, and may further increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, quitting smoking, engaging in regular physical activity, and maintaining a healthy body weight can have a positive impact on you and can help you better manage your condition.
(With input from IANS)
