Rheumatism

Rheumatism

Rheumatism (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes pain and inflammation of all the joints. Other parts of all the body can be affected. Inflammation causes the joints to turn into painful and swollen and movement can be restricted. Stiffness in the joints is common, especially am. The inflammation as a result of rheumatoid arthritis may end up in damage in the joints.

Rheumatism usually starts in middle life, with onset generally occurring involving the ages of 35 to 64, and affects 2.5 per cent of Australia s population. An estimated 57 per cent of persons with rheumatoid arthritis are women.

Indicators of rheumatoid arthritis

 

The most common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include:

Swelling, pain and incalescence in the joints
Stiffness in the joints, especially am
Persistent fatigue
Sleeping difficulties because of the pain
Weak muscles
The same joints on either side of all the body are normally affected.

Seek advice soon
It is important to seek specialist early in the path of the condition. Early treatment will assist you to manage pain more effectively and minimise long-term joint damage.

Anybody who experiences pain and swelling available as one or maybe more joints should discuss this with your doctor. When you are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis or suspected with having the condition, you may be referred to a medical specialist known as the rheumatologist.

An immunity system strike
The main cause or causes of rheumatoid arthritis generally are not yet fully understood. We do are aware that rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. The conventional role of all the body s immunity system is to fight off infections, however when any individual has an autoimmune disease, your immunity starts attacking the body s healthy tissues.

When rheumatoid arthritis, your immunity targets the liner of all the joints, causing inflammation and joint damage. The characteristic swelling happens when the joint produces too much lubricating (synovial) fluid in response to the inflammation.

Some individuals can be more vulnerable to developing rheumatoid arthritis due to heredity factors. Specifically what triggers the body s immunity system to attack the joints is unknown.

There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis. However, there are many strategies you can use to handle the condition and its symptoms.

Managing rheumatoid arthritis

To deal with rheumatoid arthritis it is great for understand the nature of all the disease. Self-management courses can help people with rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic (ongoing) conditions to create their skills and confidence to reside in along with the condition. Arthritis Victoria offers additional information these courses.

Other important guidelines that will help you manage rheumatoid arthritis include:

Medication  a rheumatologist may prescribe several medications counting on your symptoms and the severity of one's condition. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are generally prescribed to lower pain and inflammation. The disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) really are a special group of medications used to treat inflammatory arthritis.

Biological DMARDs are the newest class of arthritis medication and seek to stop the disease progressing and causing structural damage to joints.

Aids and equipment  supports an example would be walking aids and specialised cooking utensils reduce joint strain and might permit you to manage pain and fatigue. An occupational therapist may give you advice on aids.

Relaxation techniques  muscle relaxation, distraction, guided imagery and other techniques will help you manage pain and difficult emotions an example would be anxiety.

Exercise  some physical activity will assist you to maintain muscle strength and joint flexibility assisting you in managing pain. Appropriate activities include exercising in warm water, strength training and Taiji quan. You may need to sit down with a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist prior to beginning a workout program.
Physiotherapy a physiotherapist offers advice on managing pain and on physical activity.

Rest  rest will help you to handle fatigue and it is particularly important when joints are swollen.

Nutrition - while there is no specific if you have rheumatoid arthritis, it is important to have a good healthy, balanced diet to keep up general health and stop other medical problems.

Support  a peer association offers understanding, advice, support and data from others because we are part of a similar situation. Contact Arthritis Victoria for more information.

Complementary therapies an example would be massage or acupuncture can be helpful. Consult your doctor or rheumatologist before commencing any treatment.