Rheumatoid Arthritis: Impacts and Management
Rheumatoid Arthritis–better known as RA–is a long term autoimmune condition affecting millions of people around the globe. Evoking joint pain, swelling, stiffness, and fatigue, the lives of those experiencing RA become challenging by the day. This disease impacts the immune system, causing it to mistakenly attack joints instead of protecting the body. This causes damage, eventually spreading to other parts of the body with time as a major factor. Since it cannot go away, RA impacts more than just physical health, and can impact mood and quality of life.
When the immune system attacks the lining of the joints, also known as the synovium, swelling occurs due to the production of extra fluid, leading to the stiffness and pain when waking up in the morning or after resting for a long period of time. The constant inflammation causes serious harm to the cartilage and bone, making joints weaker or function incorrectly. In order to know for sure if a patient has RA, doctors run physical exams, blood tests, and imaging of pain-filled areas.
Although there is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, there are ways to soothe or manage it. Medications, physical therapy, stretching, and many other low-impact exercises can train the joints to still move naturally, even while experiencing inflammation. Additionally, factors such as eating healthily, getting adequate rest, and managing stress levels play a large role in managing the irritation.
In short, living with RA can be difficult, but many advancements are making conditions easier. More sufficient treatments and an increase in awareness have allowed those who suffer from this disease to seek help and live more healthily. As research is used to find better therapies and cures, rheumatoid arthritis continues to affect a portion of our world.
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