answersLogoWhite

0

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an Autoimmune disease. It is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but mainly affects the joints.

500 Questions

What is the difference of DJD and rheumatoid arthritis?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

Degenerative joint disease or osteoarthritis is a form of arthritis that is the result of wear and tear leading to the breakdown of cartilage in joints and damage to bones in joints. it is the most common form of joint disease. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that affects mainly joints but may also have an effect on many other tissues of the body. Rheumatoid arthritis is the result of the immune system mistakenly attacking the body's own tissues leading to serous damage if left untreated.

What kind of doctor treats Rheumatoid Arthritis?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

Rheumatologist or, often times, a primary care provider.

How do you handle a child with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

Try to be calm and understanding with them It can be an extremely painful and at times debilitating condition. just remind them that the pain while it is bad at times will go away in time.

What are the side effects associated with using eucommia bark?

User Avatar

Asked by GaleEncyofAltMed

Should be used in consultation with a physician, particularly if taking blood pressure medication. No reported interactions. There are no studies of interactions with Western drugs.

What are some similarities and differences between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

There is none Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that , among other things effects the cartilage in joints, While osteoporosis is a reduction in bone density, they are two entirely different conditions.

Is there a diet that aids rheumatoid arthritics?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

There are definitely foods you can eat that will worsen your pain with rheumatoid arthritis. Certain foods can also help too. www.webmd.com/���rheumatoid-arthritis/guide/���can-your-diet-help-relieve-rheumatoid-arthritis

How does rheumatoid arthritis affect the eyes?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

Vision can can be effected as a result of a number of problems associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

Scleritis, a chronic inflammation of the blood vessels in the whites of the eyes, may occur in aproximately 1 percent of people with RA. Symptoms include eye pain and redness. If it goes untreated, scleritis may become severe, leading to a deterioration of the cornea.

Rheumatoid Arthritis may lead to Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, which is dryness of the eyes caused by decreased tear production. as well as Episcleritis or scleritis, this is an inflammation of the connective tissue of the eye that gives it a red eye appearance like conjunctivitis, but different as there is no wetness or tearing.

These problems can be painful and lead to increased light sensitivity, redness, and even vision loss.

The eyes may often become dry and/or inflamed as a result of RA. This condition is known as Sjögren syndrome and its severity depends on which part of the eye is affected. this along with many other eye problems may be the result of rheumatoid arthritis and often require the attention of an eye specialist.

Are results IGM-RF POSITIVEIGG ANTI-CCP POSITIVE indicators of rheumatoid arthritis?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

Autoantibodies can be prognostic markers of an erosive disease in early rheumatoid arthritis

See the related link below for more info on this subject.

Is osteoarthitis worse than rheumatoid arthritis?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

Rheumatoid arthritis is definitely the most harmful condition out of the two diseases. Osteoarthritis is generally associated with wear and tear in the joints and accident it's effects are limited to the joints damage in this case can also extend to pressure being put on nerves that pass between joint, especially between vertebrae with problems occurring in muscles as a result. However Rheumatoid arthritis is a autoimmune disease wherein the immune system attacks cartilage in the joints leading to the destruction of cartilage and the creation of a toxic material that further damages ligaments muscle and bone in the surrounding area. the effect of are not limited to just joints and can also be found in many other organs and tissues of the body such as the heart, lungs, brain, vascular /arterial, eyes skin, etc.

What is indicated by Elevated C-Reactive protein and RDW?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

This seems like a very complex issue. By following the the related link below (Relation Between Red Blood Cell Distribution Width and Inflammatory Biomarkers in a Large Cohort of Unselected Outpatients) more information can be found on this subject.

How do you reduce ESR rate in blood?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

Raised ESR is an indication if inflammation somewhere in the body it does not indicate what the cause of the inflammation is. The trick is to find out what is causing the inflammation and take it from there. For example in the case off rheumatoid arthritis there are a number of different anti inflammatory available both steroidal and non steroidal. as well as disease modifying drugs that inhibit the immune system to be able to inflame.

Why esr increase in rheumatoid arthritis?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

ESR measures the amount of inflammation in the blood RA is an inflammatory disease thus in the case of RA sufferers the ESR is usually higher when the disease is active.

What is the best prevention of Rheumatoid Arthritis?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

Because we don't yet know what the cause is of RA wedon't know what to do to prevent it from happening. All we can do is initiate treatment to prevent the damage it does if it is left untreated. There is no cure. An interesting point that is suspected by many RA sufferers is that the onset of RA attacks can often coincide with either an injury ( it may be as small as a splinter) or an increase of frustrated stress i.e the type of stress that is difficult to action on.

Can arthritis in wrist cause tingling in fingers?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

Yes the inflammation involved with arthritis can put pressure on nerves in the neck, shoulder, elbow and wrist, that will effect the hands. It is important that you get this checked out because it can lead to nerve and muscle damage if left untreated.

Can stress cause rheumatoid arthritis?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

It is doubtful that stress actually causes RA, however there seems to be a lot of anecdotal evidence that extreme bouts of stress can bring about flare ups in the disease. In my own particular case I tend to get worse bouts of inflammation when under frustrating stress,

Normal value of Erythrocyte sedimentation rate?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

male -up to 15, female -up to20

The normal sedimentation rate (Westergren method) for males is 0-15 millimeters per hour, and for females is 0-20 millimeters per hour. The sedimentation rate can be slightly more elevated in the elderly and is much lower for children.

How is RA treated?

User Avatar

Asked by Robbb

I am male and have suffered from the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis since I was less than 10 years old. fortunately It was never so much of a problem in those days as to have warranted a great deal of attention However at about age 40 I did end up having bouts of pain that at times were very intense. My mother had suffered from RA and had developed a philosophical point of view about it and just pressed on. So I did the same, which was a big mistake. My arthritis got progressively worse until when I was about 55 I reached a point where, at times, just getting out of the car had started to become a bit of a challenge. Occasionally I would see a doctor and he would prescribe some non steroidal anti inflammatory and this would settle it down again for a while. However one day one of the people at my work pointed out to me that one of my elbows was badly swollen. I took this to my doctor and as it turned out ended up seeing a different doctor from the usual. to cut a long story short he suspected RA and initiated tests to check this out. In the mean time He put me onto a fairly heavy dose of prednisone which brought the swelling in the elbow and some discomfort and minor swelling in other joints under control. When the results from blood tests and X ray came in they indicated that I had a high Rheumatoid factor accompanied with joint damage to a greater or lesser degree all over my body. (Mind you at this time I was still very active in the construction industry and was often engaged in a very physical capacity. As a result of the outcome of the tests I was referred to a Rheumatologist along with a folder full of joint x rays and test results. After an initial examination He informed me that we would start of by reducing the inflammation by using Prednisone ( Prednisone is a steroidal anti inflammatory that is widely used with inflammatory arthritis) prednisone is usually taken only every morning with food. Also a drug called Methotrexate once a week was prescribed. (Methotrexate is a disease modifying drug that interferes with the ability of the immune system to be able to produce the cells that cause the destructive inflammation that is at the root of RA). Methotrexate needs to be accompanied with folic acid taken daily, to protect you from liver damage. After about 6 month of this the amount of prednisone was reduced gradually until it was down to 5ml per day, ideally no prednisone is best. during the set ling down period I consulted my rheumatologist every 3 months and because I was taking Methotrexate I needed to have a blood test to keep an eye open for liver toxicity at first monthly which has now set led down to 3 monthly, these blood tests also check for inflammation, blood count sometimes RF and a couple of other things that I cant think of right now. In any case everything seemed to be under control except the elbow which was going from bad to worse, Another disease modifying drug was added by the name of Plaquenil to make further modifications to the immune system, however Alas I was too late to save the elbow so at a certain point I was referred to a orthopedic surgeon to have it replaced with a new metal one. That went well even though not quite as good as the real thing as it does have limits on what you can do with it. In any case I am 62 now and have been getting organized treatment for RA for about 6 years. I have to take a few different tablets in the mornings, one at night, and a blood test every 3 months, visit my rheumatologist every 6 months. Because of the drugs I take have to be more careful to stay out of the way of infectious diseases like flu. Believe me even if you did not have a problem with them before you will be far more susceptible to them wit a compromised immune system. Make flu shots part of the treatment. And keep an eye on your overall health as RA can affect many other organs in the body. Medicine can do great things to improve the quality of life However it is important also to maintain your own positive outlook as getting depressed about things that you can not change will cause stress, and emotional stress in my experience is one of the things that causes RA to flare. This is probably why more women suffer from it then men.

How can you know you have a high uric acid?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

There are blood test available to ascertain this. Gout is a disease that can be the result of high uric acid concentrations in the blood. however gout is also often misdiagnosed with the cause of certain joint pains being the result of other rheumatic conditions.

Can rheumatoid nodules be treated or removed?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

Rheumatoid nodules can be removed, however they are just as likely to return as not. I personally have had them form and then disappear again. the best thing to do is not put hard pressure on them and just continue with your normal treatments for RA. if you have them on the arm where it rests on the table for example use a cushion to nurse it. usually they disappear again.

Will rheumatoid arthritis cripple you?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

It can definitely cripple you if you don't treat the inflammation that causes the damage done by this disease Until we came up with anti inflammatory and now disease modifying drugs that diminish the ability of the immune system to cause the problem inflammation. People with RA take the risk of serious multiple joint destruction as well as other tissue and organ problem if they don't treat the disease. before these drugs became available many people ended up in wheel chairs or bed ridden as a result. today many joints can be replaced in case there is to much destruction or pain.

What causes bumps and stiffness of hands?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

The stiffness in the hands may be the result of inflammation in and around the joints. the bumps may be either deformity's forming as a result of RA or rheumatoid nodules these can a pear and disappear just as easily. If you are showing these symptoms you should consult a health professional about it.

Where do I need to go to find out more about rheumatoid arthritis and diet?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

One might find information about arthritis care on the site "Arthritis Care Forum". This one is nice because people may interact and share information with each other. There is also the site "Arthritis Today" which is more of a magazine type site.

Should you fast before a blood test for rheumatoid arthritis?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

No that is not necessary. unless you are advised to do so by your doctor which may be likely in the case of tests related to gouty arthritis.

Is celadrin useful against rheumatoid arthritis?

User Avatar

Asked by Wiki User

I have had a look at the claims made about celadrin. and have come to the conclusion that it is one of those remedy's that you will have to try out yourself. some of the claims made regarding the way it works on the immune system don't make sense to me. and while there are many claims of clinical tests there seems to be no direct information on these. However they do sell a lot of them so there is a chance that they do the job.