There are many types of arthritis, but the one we most commonly think of is rheumatoid arthritis. White blood cells usually spend their days attacking bacteria and fighting off viruses, but with this type of arthritis, the white blood cells move from the bloodstream (where they belong) into the membranes surrounding your joints. As a result, there is an inflammation and the release of proteins. Over months or years, the membrane thickens and the released proteins cause damage to neighboring cartilage, ligaments, bones and tendons. Joints can become disfigured, knocked out of alignment or even destroyed.
Signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis may include: joint pain, joint swelling and joints that are tender to the touch. Whether you have red puffy hands, firm bumps of tissue beneath the skin on your arms, or morning stiffness that lasts at least thirty minutes, you may have some level of the disease. Often, sufferers feel tired, lose weight and sense changes in wrists, hands, ankles and feet at first. In later stages, the elbows, shoulders, knees, hips and the jaw and neck can also be affected. Signs and symptoms of pain may flare up and then alternate with periods of relative remission.
Your doctor will perform a physical exam to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis. He or she will ask you about signs and symptoms, then usually perform a blood test to check for an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, which will reveal an inflammatory process in the body. Other blood tests check for the rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies, which cause joint damage. Additionally, by using a needle, a joint fluid analysis can pinpoint the disease and help rule out other disorders that mimic the symptoms of arthritis. Once diagnosed, X-rays can help track the progression of the disease in your joints.
There are many medications that treat rheumatoid arthritis. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs/NSAIDs (like ibuprofen, Advil, Motrin and Aleve) can provide pain relief and reduce inflammation. Steroids/Corticosteroid medications (like prednisone and methylprednisolone) reduce swelling and pain, in addition to slowing joint damage. These are intended for short term use only. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs/DMARDs (like Plaquenil, Ridaura, Azulfidine, Dynacin and Rheumatrex) are used to limit joint damage over time. Immuno-suppressants (like Arava, Imuran, Neoral and Cytoxan) are aimed at taming your immune system, which has been disrupted by the disease. TNF-alpha inhibitors (like Enbrel, Remicade or Humira) reduces morning stiffness and tender joints within 1-2 weeks, helping to prevent long term damage. Kineret, Rituximab or Orencia may be prescribed if other treatments fail, as these injected pain management drugs provide stronger medication for chronic pain sufferers, yet also pose greater risks of side effects. Your health care practitioner will assess your unique case and offer the best individualized solution for you.
To learn more go to Arthritis In The Thumb and at Rheumatoid Arthritis
