Rheumatoid Arthritis: Treatment, Symptoms, Causes & Diagnosis

Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis

It is unknown and unclear what causes the immune system to attack the healthy body, although certain factors increase the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. A normal immune system protects the body against foreign particles such as bacteria and viruses by identifying the foreign antigens and initiating an immune response. Your body’s cells have their own antigens that the immune system can sometimes mistake as foreign and therefore initiate a response against your cells. An immune response against joint cells characterizes rheumatoid arthritis.

Risk Factors of Rheumatoid Arthritis

There are certain factors that may affect the prevalence of the disease, such as age, sex, weight and lifestyle.

• Age: The elderly are at higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.
• Sex: Rheumatoid arthritis arises more among women than men.
• Weight: Being overweight increases the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.
• Lifestyle: Smoking increases risk of rheumatoid arthritis and has an adverse impact on the disease.
• Genetic factors: People with human leukocyte antigen class II genotypes have a higher genetic disposition to rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is believed to arise more in women than men, while being elderly also puts you at a much higher risk. Other factors such as obesity and lifestyle habits such as smoking can increase the risk of rheumatoid arthritis as well as have an adverse impact on the disease. Furthermore, certain people such as those with human leukocyte antigen class II genotypes, have a higher genetic disposition to the disease.

Complications Rheumatoid arthritis

Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis have an increased risk of developing certain conditions:

• Osteoporosis: Rheumatoid arthritis increases the risk of developing osteoporosis, a condition that weakens the bones.
• Rheumatoid nodules: These stiff bumps are found around pressure points but can also grow in the heart and lungs.
• Sjogren’s Syndrome: Rheumatoid arthritis increases the risk of developing Sjogren Syndrome, a condition that causes dryness of eyes and mouth.
• Infections: The disease itself as well as medication used for its treatment affect the patient’s immune system, leading to infections.
• Abnormal body composition: The ratio of fat to lean mass is higher among patients of rheumatoid arthritis.
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Rheumatoid arthritis in the wrist can compress the nerve of the hand and fingers.
• Cardiac Issues: Rheumatoid arthritis increases chances of developing hardened and blocked arteries.
• Lung disease: Rheumatoid arthritis increases the risk of inflammation and scarring of tissue.
• Lymphoma: Rheumatoid arthritis also increases the risk of developing Lymphoma - a cancer in the lymphatic system.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis

Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms vary and range from minimal interferences to those that cause excruciating pain. Therefore, the nature of the disease makes it fairly difficult to diagnose, especially in its earlier stages. It is also very important to consult a doctor even when faced with minor symptoms. The diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis follows a comprehensive assessment and often includes an amalgam of methods to effectively identify the presence of such a disease. However, there is no specific test that can conclusively determine whether one has rheumatoid arthritis and therefore it must be distinguished from other medical conditions which manifest similar symptoms, such as lupus, psoriatic arthritis, lyme disease and osteoarthritis. To do so, rheumatologists often employ different tests and diagnosis methods, including:

Blood tests for rheumatoid arthritis: 

There are certain conditions more prevalent in those who have rheumatoid arthritis.

• Test checking for C-Reactive Protein (CRP Levels). As has been earlier discussed, the most common feature of rheumatoid arthritis is inflammation. A result of a higher CRP level in your blood is a strong indicator of inflammation in the body.
• This is often paired with an erythrocyte sedimentation rate test, where it is timed as to how long it would take for one’s red blood cells to reach the end of a test tube filled with liquid, which is another strong indicator of inflammation.
• Other blood tests that may help in diagnosing the disease include full blood count tests, which if concluded that one is anemic, could also help as anemia is very common in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.
• Tests for rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies are also firm indicators of the disease.

Imaging tests for rheumatoid arthritis:

Scans that check for damage or inflammation in the joints may also be used in conjunction to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis. Scans such as X-Rays indicate the disease’s progression in the joints, while ultrasound scans and magnetic resonance imaging scans are also used.