WHAT IS RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS?
Rheumatoid Arthritis (R.A) is a type of Inflammatory Arthritis that can develop at any age. It is classed as an auto-immune disease which means the cells in the immune system do not behave as they should. A normal immune system only attacks things in the body that are dangerous to us, such as bacteria, but in auto-immune diseases the immune system attacks healthy tissue in the body. With R.A the immune system particularly attacks the membrane in joints that cover the cartilage, this is called the synovium. The synovium makes the fluid that lubricates the joint space, allowing movement. When the immune system attacks inflammation occurs and the synovium membrane becomes inflamed, this causes the membrane to release more fluid than usual into the joints space and so this is why in R.A the joints become tender, painful and swollen. Persistant inflammation of the synovium membrane can result in damage to the cartilage and erosion of the underlying bone. It is a life long condition and if left untreated it is destructive and can cause serious damage to the joints, making them stiff and in severe cases the joints can fuse so they cannot be moved. The continous inflammatory response caused by the over activity of the immune system can give the person affected flu like symptoms and make them feel intensely tired and fatigued.
WHAT CAUSES RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS?
It is still not completely understood why people develop R.A and research so far suggests that a combination of factors is needed. There is a genetic element but this does not mean that it is definately passed from parent to child. Some genes make it more likely that a person will develop R.A but this is not ineviatable, something else still needs to happen to trigger the disease process, but it is still not exactly clear what these triggers are.
HOW WILL MY RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AFFECT ME?
Everybody's R.A is completely different and its progression varies from person to person, with some people having very little damage to their joints to others who have severe damage in several joints. There is also no obvious pattern to the symptoms. The person affected can get what is called 'Flares', which are periods of time when their symptoms are worse, these can then subside and they can experience periods when their R.A is quiet and doesn't cause them any problems. Because everybody's disease is different, treatment is tailored to the individuals needs.
It is important to remember that with early diagnosis and the right treatment, most people diagnosed today can expect to lead normal lives with their symptoms under control.
It is important to remember that with early diagnosis and the right treatment, most people diagnosed today can expect to lead normal lives with their symptoms under control.