While there is currently no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, early diagnosis and treatment can delay or prevent permanent damage to the joints. If you know or suspect that you or a loved one has rheumatoid arthritis, continue reading for important information.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disease that mis-identifies the synovial membrane as foreign material and attacks it. The joint swells up, affecting the cartilage and tissues around the joint. If it is allowed to advance it can damage the joints and cause debilitating pain. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can affect other parts of the body such as the heart, kidneys, skin, lungs, and eyes, It is three times more likely to occur in women than in men, and four times more common in smokers than non-smokers.

Physical or emotional stress, poor nutrition, bacterial infections, and genetics have been identified as contributors to the onset of this disease. Often symptoms show up in middle age, although it can also affect the elderly and even children.

Rheumatoid arthritis is diagnosed by a combination of medical tests. A blood test called the rheumatoid factor (RF) can indicate the probability of the presence of the disease. An examination of tender or swollen joints, the presence of stiffness, bumps under the skin (subcutaneous rheumatoid nodules) help determine the presence of this arthritis. X-rays, MRI scans and bone scans are used to visualize the joints to check the severity and progression of the disease. The cause of rheumatoid arthritis has yet to be discovered.

Increasingly there is recognition among rheumatologists that permanent damage to the joints occurs very early in the disease. Early diagnosis and treatment is a must because delaying treatment for even a few months after recognition of symptoms can result in a less healthy outcome.

Treatment results in better control of the disease. Medications, plus physical therapy and plenty of rest, produce an better, healthier outcome for sufferers. A class of antirheumatic drugs are producing long-lasting remissions and even the halt of disease progression.

If you suspect that you might have rheumatoid arthritis, make an appointment with your doctor and get tested. The sooner you know the facts, the better your chances for a happier and healthier life.

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Source: www.articlecity.com