THE rheumatoid arthritis is a relatively common disease that promotes joint inflammation., which are popularly called joints. This disease causes deformities and promotes limitations that interfere in a person's daily activities, consequently leading to a decrease in quality of life. Therefore, it is essential to know the disease and the treatment to avoid increasingly serious injuries.
→ What is rheumatoid arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that affects about 1% of the population, mainly women over 50 years old, and has an autoimmune character, that is, the The disease develops as a result of an action of the immune system against its own organism, which, in this case, is the tissue located in the joints.
It is not yet known exactly what triggers rheumatoid arthritis, however, it is believed that the triggering factors are: predisposition genetics, environmental factors and infections caused by virus and bacteria. Some authors relate the disease to smoking and hormonal factors.
→ What are the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis has very characteristic symptoms, such as pain and swelling in the joints. Patients with this disease also have increased temperature in the joint and difficulty in movement. The stiffness of these structures usually occurs in the morning and it may take a few hours for movement to recover. Over time, rheumatoid arthritis can cause changes in the structure of the joints, leading to an inability to perform some tasks.
Rheumatoid arthritis usually initially affects the joints of the hands, wrists and feet. As the disease advances, other larger joints are affected, such as those in the elbows, ankles and shoulders. It is noteworthy that rheumatoid arthritis also affects other extra-articular structures, such as vessels, eyes and nervous system.
→ How to treat rheumatoid arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that has no cure and, therefore, treatment is based on reducing symptoms until reaching a stage called remission. During this period, the symptoms are not present and the person lives normally as if he had never had the disease.
To treat rheumatoid arthritis, doctors recommend immunosuppressive drugs, which act directly on the immune system. The only problem with these medications is that their effect is slow. Therefore, analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs are recommended until the treatment achieves the expected result.
It is noteworthy that non-drug treatment can also be performed. Some patients claim that the pain has decreased with physical exercise, occupational therapy and physiotherapy.
By Ma. Vanessa dos Santos
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/saude-na-escola/o-que-e-como-tratar-artrite-reumatoide.htm
