Details About Rheumatoid Arthritis
The elderly are often the ones who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis which is also known as RA, but this disease is usually diagnosed in middle age and then progresses into our later years causing severe joint pain and swelling. People of any age can be diagnosed with this autoimmune disease, even children. In fact, cases among younger people are actually increasing somewhat.
A common misconception is that RA only strikes the joints, but while this certainly is the most common scenario, other parts of the body can be affected as well. Other targets may include the skin, kidneys, the lungs or other organs. Despite much research, doctors still cannot cure this disorder and they don't actually know what causes it. RA is theorized to be highly hereditary and people are more likely to acquire rheumatoid arthritis if they have family member who suffers from it. Smokers also have been found to have a much higher risk of developing RA than non-smokers; however some cases of RA are idiopathic, meaning that there is no known cause.
A person suffering from RA may include symptoms like swelling in your joints also stiffness and limited movement. Nodules in your skin can also be found. Blood tests are done to determine the level of inflammation and at the same time identify certain antibodies linked with the disease. X-rays are also taken by Doctors to find bone loss around the person's joints. One should not take this matter lightly and seek immediate medical attention right away if such symptoms occur since these methods are required to find the cause of the problem.
At this time cure is still not found for RA and this disease is chronic and progressive. To help patients manage symptoms and slow progression of the disease, there are a variety of treatments that can be done. Regular exercise seems to improve strength and reduce fatigue and doctors typically recommend patients to do so. This can be a huge factor in preventing such diseases from progressing as quickly.
There are two types of basic RA treatments that are available. The first one includes medicines that do not cure, but only relieve the symptoms or reduce the actual inflammation. Sometimes NSAIDs are used and this stands for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and it includes commonly used drugs such as ibuprofen. Steroidal drugs also are used to treat RA. Both steroids and NSAIDs can help relieve the pain and stiffness. However, it should be noted that they don't manage the disease; they simply relieve some of the main symptoms.
The second type of treatment seeks to put the disease into remission by attacking the disease at a cellular level. This is through the help of DMARDs or Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. They can help in treat arthritis and slows down progressive joint destruction at the same time. The most commonly known DMARDs are methotrexate and sulfasalazube. These medications are also used to treat other conditions such as cancer or inflammatory bowel disease and provide other benefits like reducing the risk of rejection of a transplanted organ. Adalimumab is a drug that can be used for both children over the age of four and adults in which helps reduce the symptoms of RA. Adalimumab is one of several drugs that have been created using custom monoclonal antibodies.
A common misconception is that RA only strikes the joints, but while this certainly is the most common scenario, other parts of the body can be affected as well. Other targets may include the skin, kidneys, the lungs or other organs. Despite much research, doctors still cannot cure this disorder and they don't actually know what causes it. RA is theorized to be highly hereditary and people are more likely to acquire rheumatoid arthritis if they have family member who suffers from it. Smokers also have been found to have a much higher risk of developing RA than non-smokers; however some cases of RA are idiopathic, meaning that there is no known cause.
A person suffering from RA may include symptoms like swelling in your joints also stiffness and limited movement. Nodules in your skin can also be found. Blood tests are done to determine the level of inflammation and at the same time identify certain antibodies linked with the disease. X-rays are also taken by Doctors to find bone loss around the person's joints. One should not take this matter lightly and seek immediate medical attention right away if such symptoms occur since these methods are required to find the cause of the problem.
At this time cure is still not found for RA and this disease is chronic and progressive. To help patients manage symptoms and slow progression of the disease, there are a variety of treatments that can be done. Regular exercise seems to improve strength and reduce fatigue and doctors typically recommend patients to do so. This can be a huge factor in preventing such diseases from progressing as quickly.
There are two types of basic RA treatments that are available. The first one includes medicines that do not cure, but only relieve the symptoms or reduce the actual inflammation. Sometimes NSAIDs are used and this stands for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and it includes commonly used drugs such as ibuprofen. Steroidal drugs also are used to treat RA. Both steroids and NSAIDs can help relieve the pain and stiffness. However, it should be noted that they don't manage the disease; they simply relieve some of the main symptoms.
The second type of treatment seeks to put the disease into remission by attacking the disease at a cellular level. This is through the help of DMARDs or Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. They can help in treat arthritis and slows down progressive joint destruction at the same time. The most commonly known DMARDs are methotrexate and sulfasalazube. These medications are also used to treat other conditions such as cancer or inflammatory bowel disease and provide other benefits like reducing the risk of rejection of a transplanted organ. Adalimumab is a drug that can be used for both children over the age of four and adults in which helps reduce the symptoms of RA. Adalimumab is one of several drugs that have been created using custom monoclonal antibodies.
About the Author:
Armand Zeiders enjoys blogging about biomedical research. For more info about custom antibodies, please go to the PrimmBiotech.com site now.
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