From what I read in several books, research documents and
articles, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an Auto Immune Disease that
causes pain and swelling in the joints. This happens because the immune system attacks the lining of the joints causing inflammation and joint damage. It
starts slowly with minor symptoms that comes and goes, usually on both
sides of the body, and progress over a period of weeks or months.
Doctors still don't know what causes rheumatoid arthritis, but it is more common in people who smoke or have a family history of this disease. It can also be difficult to diagnose because many conditions cause joint stiffness and inflammation. The most common signs and symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis could be joints pain which is usually a throbbing and aching sort of pain, often worse in the mornings and after sitting or being still for a while.
Joint inflammation and morning stiffness are also the other common signs of rheumatoid arthritis.The
stiffness happens particularly in the morning or after a period of rest
and it might take an hour or longer for the stiffened joint to get back
to its working state. Stiffness is always accompanied with the
swelling of the joint. The affected joint area appears pink and warmer,
in contrast to other parts of the body. All these symptoms cause
severe pain and inflammation in the joint, which increases the joint
sensitivity, tenderness and painfulness.
Fatigue and lack of
energy are also common signs of rheumatoid arthritis. The patient stays
in a constant state of being ill and the body feels weak to take any
physical stress. The situation usually leads to the loss of appetite, which in turn causes weakness of the muscles and body. There
are also rheumatoid nodules, which are firm, painless lumps on the skin
around elbows or forearms, and according to studies could be found in
about one-fifth of rheumatoid arthritis patients.
As the disease
goes on, the inflammatory activity will lead to the erosion and
destruction of the joints that will impair their range of movement and
lead to some deformity. The fingers and the bones will deviate to the outside and towards the small finger and take on unnatural shapes. The
treatments for rheumatoid arthritis are going to be placed in disease
modifying anti rheumatic drugs, anti inflammatory agents and analgesics. Anti
rheumatic drugs are known to start durable remissions, delay the
disease process, and prevent bone and joint damage as well.
Using
natural treatment & remedies for rheumatoid arthritis have recently
grown among people with this chronic disorder to control their pain and
activities. There are some herbal remedies and natural treatments
such as vitamins, minerals and supplements, which have shown significant
relief to the pain, inflammation, swelling and weaknesses in affected
joints and limbs associated with this disorder. Some of these
natural treatments and remedies are also useful in managing the health
conditions and complications which come with rheumatoid arthritis.
