What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis

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What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis

An autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis is manifested by chronic joint inflammation.  Occuring when the autoimmune system inadvertently attacks the synovium, rheumatoid arthritis is a debilitating disease.  Symptoms often include pain in the joints, chronic joint inflammation, joint damage, loss of joint function and disability.  Despite being a chronic illness, rheumatoid arthritis often has periods of inactivity followed by rheumatic flare ups.  Treatment may lead to inactivity of rheumatoid arthritis and all symptoms may vanish.

Most often affecting the hands, knees, feet, elbows and wrists,  rheumatoid arthritis will generally affect the same joints on both sides of the body.  If the left index finger is affected by rheumatoid arthritis, usually the right one will be also.  Being an inflammatory disease, rheumatoid arthritis can also affect the cardivascular system as well as the skin.

Non-surgical treatment to decrease pain and improve joint functionality is preferrable to surgery to relieve arthritic symptoms.  There are a number of non-surgical methods of treating rheumatoid arthritis such as educating the patient, supplementing the diet, physical therapy or an exercise routine, pain medication, braces, acupucture, chiropracy, massage and acupuncture among other treatment choices.  If the pain is still unmanageable after these treatments, then surgery remains the only option.

Arthroplasty, or total joint replacement, is the most invasive of options and requires the longest recovery period.   Joints that have been entirely replaced wear out , similar to the joints they have replaced.  This is because the joint loosens and does not function properly.  Technology is contstantly advancing and this is reducing the need for additional operations. Therapies used to delay total joint replacement or avoid joint replacement altogether are resurfacing, arthroscopy and osteotomy.   The majority of persons eligible for such procedures are not afflicted  with considerable bone loss.

Osteotomy involves reshaping bones in an effort to adjust the alignment of the bones providing relief to the injured sections of joints.  Arthroscopy consists of the insertion of a miniscule microscope into the joint to assist the operation on injured cartilage and ligaments by tiny surgical instruments.  Although it is much less invasive than total joint replacement, the resurfacing  of joints has yet to prove its longevity.  In a resurfacing procedure, surgeons shave and then reshape the top of the femur.  After this they place a cap with a metal ball into the replacement socket.  Resurfacing is similar to placing a crown on a tooth instead of entirely replacing it.

A new procedure uses the patient's stem cells and blood growth factors to grow new bone, cartilage and muscle tissue.  This is another new operation  that has yet to prove its longevity, yet  patients have seen short term results that include a reduction in pain  and improvement of  joint functionality.

Persons that are overweight and suffer from arthritis would be well advised to lose some weight.  Reduction in weight reduces stress on hips and knees, improving arthitic conditions in these joints.  Good nutrition will help improve the entire body.  The need of surgery can be delayed with the addition of specific supplements including dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), glucosamine, chondroitin and other supplements.  

Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for cartilage preservation.  These essential fatty acids have shown a propensity to slow and even stop inflammation, which is a main factor in the reduction of cartilage.  Omega-3 fatty acids are helpful with rheumatoid arthritis.

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