Joint pain or arthritis currently effects almost 70 million Americans (1). One form of arthritis, known as Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is an enervating disease that effects over 2,000,000 Americans – one percent of the population (2). Woman are afflicted with RA two to three times more often than men (3). RA can develop at any age, from childhood to seniors, but usually is diagnosed in people 20-50 years of age(4).

What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

As an autoimmune disease, Rheumatoid arthritis causes your body to attack itself. Normally helpful white blood cells begin to see healthy tissue as the enemy and they proceed to attack it. The results are debilitating. The lining in various joints become inflamed. Eventually, those joints become extremely painful and distended. Rheumatoid arthritis can effect any of the joints in your body, but usually the wrist, fingers and small bones in the feet are hit the hardest. The disease may also cause the lungs, heart lining, salivary and tear glands to be inflamed. In addition to the joint pain, a patient may also experience a generally feeling of being unwell.

One fifth of people with RA may develop painful, subcutaneous lumps called rheumatoid nodules (5). As RA progresses the joints may become deformed and some people may lose their mobility. Normal, everyday tasks seem overwhelming as it becomes difficult to even button your shirt or hold a pen, without experiencing pain.

Do You Have RA?

One single test to determine RA is not currently available. As a result, physicians compile a number of tests to help them diagnose this illness. A medical history will be taken. The doctor may perform a physical exam, give you various blood tests and take x-rays.

Dealing with Rheumatoid Arthritis

After a person has been diagnosed with RA, it’s very important to be aware of possible complications in order to avoid them, if possible. We are going to explore these complications in four successive articles. Some of the complications resulting from RA may include…

• Vasculitis: This is a condition where the blood vessels become inflamed.
• Tendinitis: Tendons become inflamed in this complication.
• Bursitis: When tiny, fluid-filled sacs called Bursa, are inflamed, Bursitis is the result.
• Impingement Syndrome: Rotator cuff swelling due to injury or RA.

Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis varies, depending on the severity of the symptoms and what stage of RA you are experiencing.

Look for Complications of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Vasculitis on 10/04/2007.

References
(1) http://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/guide/arthritis-basics?page=2
(2) http://www.arthritis.org/disease-center.php?disease_id=31
(3) http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/rheumatoid-arthritis/DS00020/DSECTION=1
(4) http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/rheumatoid-arthritis/DS00020/DSECTION=1
(5) http://www.arthritis.org/disease-center.php?disease_id=31&df=effects