Archive for August, 2011
The Need for Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment
Monday, August 22nd, 2011For the millions of sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis, life is filled with often debilitating pain and frustration. Although there are many rheumatoid arthritis treatments available, there is no rheumatoid arthritis cure. The effectiveness of the various rheumatoid arthritis treatments vary in degrees based on individual compliance, lifestyle, and stage of the disease. Usually, multiple rheumatoid arthritis treatments are employed simultaneously to affect some degree of success in providing the patient with pain relief and improved quality of life.
It’s important for the patient to be educated on the various treatment options in order to actively participate in the rheumatoid arthritis treatment plan. Not every treatment option is effective in every case. The patient should be provided current and relevant information about innovations in the field of rheumatoid arthritis treatment.
Understanding What Causes Rheumatoid Arthritis
Monday, August 22nd, 2011Rheumatoid arthritis results swelling, pain and stiffness in many areas of the body but particularly the joints. It’s not caused by aging, obesity or injury specifically although any of these factors can trigger the onset of the disease. What causes rheumatoid arthritis is a malfunction of the immune system causing it to attack healthy tissue as if it were diseased cells. The chronic inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis can affect other areas of the body, but primarily is focused in the joints which are affected most severely. Inflammation can spread from the synovium, the thin membrane that lines the joints, to other areas of the body causing joint damage, diminished function of the joints, fatigue and chronic pain.
Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis
The onset of rheumatoid arthritis generally occurs between the ages of 30 and 50 and women constitute over 70% of people affected. Studies have also shown that women who are pregnant or have delivered recently are at high risk for developing rheumatoid arthritis. Although comparatively uncommon, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis has affected more than 50,000 children in the US alone. It generally strikes children between the ages of 6 months and 16 years old. There is no research explain what causes rheumatoid arthritis in these groups.