With the arrival of spring and the imminent cessation of central heating, one type of disease is beginning to stir: “rheumatoid arthritis”. Some people call it the “undead cancer”, because once the disease is developed, it is difficult to heal for life, and it also develops slowly, eroding many tissues and organs of the body, causing great pain for patients.
Introduction
Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects the small joints of the hands and feet. We know that osteoarthritis is caused by repeated wear and tear of the joints, unlike rheumatoid arthritis, which affects the synovial membrane of the joints, causing swelling and pain, and eventually bone erosion and joint deformity.
It is an autoimmune disease, and the immune system is an important part of the body’s normal work, responsible for cleaning up and destroying the “enemies” that invade the body, such as the common viral cold, and why most of them heal on their own is the role of the immune system in the body. Rheumatoid arthritis is also related to the immune system, and is caused by the immune system attacking its own tissues by mistake.
In addition to attacking small joints, it also attacks other tissues such as the skin, eyes, lungs and blood vessels. Although the occurrence of rheumatoid arthritis has little to do with age, its incidence generally increases after the age of 40 and is more prevalent in women. Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis focuses on managing symptoms and preventing joint damage.
Symptoms
Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include
1. stiffness, swelling and fever in the joints.
2. morning stiffness that lasts for several hours.
3. subcutaneous nodules visible on the arms.
4, fatigue, fever and weight loss.
In the early stages, rheumatoid arthritis tends to affect small joints, such as those of the fingers and toes. As the disease progresses, it slowly affects larger joints, such as the wrist, knee, ankle and elbow joints.
Symptoms can be severe or mild and come and go, with episodes of pain and periods of remission, during which the pain is unbearable, while in remission there may be no symptoms at all.
Long-term rheumatoid arthritis can lead to joint deformity and displacement.
When do I need to seek medical attention?
You should see a doctor if your joints are consistently swollen and painful.
Causes
Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the immune system attacks the synovial membrane (a protective layer of tissue that surrounds the joint) of the joint. Inflammation causes the synovial membrane to thicken, which in turn destroys the cartilage on the surface of the joint. The ligaments and tendons surrounding the joint are also attacked and become weak, losing their protective effect on the joint, and the joint becomes deformed.
Risk factors
Common risk factors are
1.Gender: women are the susceptible group.
2.Age: the high prevalence age is 40-60 years.
3. Family history: If someone in the family has had rheumatoid arthritis, the risk of others getting the disease increases exponentially.
Treatment
There is no complete cure for rheumatoid arthritis. Existing treatment focuses on relieving peri-articular inflammation and reducing pain and joint damage.
Rehabilitation exercises can protect the joints to some extent.
If the damage to the joint is severe, surgery may be necessary.
Commonly used drugs include: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, naproxen), hormonal drugs (prednisone), anti-rheumatic drugs (methotrexate, leflunomide), biologic factors, etc.