Showing posts with label Rheumatoid Arthritis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rheumatoid Arthritis. Show all posts

Friday 10 August 2012

What do you know about Rheumatoid Arthritis.....?

                                                                                                         source:googleimages



Rheumatoid Arthritis is a common Rheumatological condition in the community. It affects 1% of the population in India. In Rheumatoid Arthritis multiple joints are painful, swollen and are tender to touch.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the joints. Although it shares some symptoms with osteoarthritis, the type of arthritis that usually occurs in older people due to wear and tear on joints, there are some key differences. Rheumatoid arthritis can attack at any age, can come on rapidly, and may be accompanied by other symptoms, such as fatigue.

  • The other important symptom in the disease is early morning stiffness in the joints. The early morning stiffness in the joints usually lasts for more than one hour. Rheumatoid Arthritis usually affects the same joint on both sides of the body, for e.g., arthritis affecting the left and right wrist. Rheumatoid Arthritis starts in the small joints of the hands and feet, later affect the big joints like knees and hips.

  • In the normal joint end of the each bone is covered with healthy cartilage, which will be eroded in Rheumatoid Arthritis. A membrane, called synovium surrounds the joint, which will be inflamed and thickened in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Inflamed synovium secrets more synovial fluid in to the joints, causing swelling and pain in the joint. In a healthy joint cartilage provides smooth slippery surface, which helps free joint movement and the synovial fluid, acts as lubricant.

Sometimes patient notice nodular swellings over the elbows these are called Rheumatoid Nodules, which are very characteristic of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Rheumatoid Arthritis rarely affects other parts of the body e.g., lungs, blood vessels and eyes etc.

IF YOU NOTICE ABOVE SYMPTOMS, CONSULT DOCTOR IN YOUR REGION  IMMEDIATELY....................


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