Rheumatoid arthritis is a serious health problem all across the world. This debilitating disease causes discomfort and pain, and is one of the most widespread issues affecting human wellness. It affects just about everyone: male or female, young or old. And it’s estimated that for every hundred people, three will develop rheumatoid arthritis.
But even though it is an extremely common issue, we aren’t too sure about what directly causes the disease. We know that while both sexes can develop it, women are slightly more likely to. We also know that onset can begin at any age, but that it is most likely between the ages of 30 and 60. Some of the factors that can bring on the condition include infections, chemicals in foods, injuries and even stress.
One thing we’re sure about is that rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, which basically means that it makes our immune system behave incorrectly. The immune system works by knowing which particles, cells and bacteria are good and bad for us. It then responds by getting rid of the bad elements. Unfortunately, when the immune system isn’t working correctly, it can’t work out which particles are foreign to the body and which are not.
In rheumatoid arthritis this makes the immune system actually attack the joints instead of trying to protect them. So when we get a flare up of arthritis it makes the liquid in our joints become inflamed, which then leads to swelling. Spotting the warning signs early can make it easier to combat the disease – so what should you look for?
Pain or discomfort in your fingers or your feet can be an indicator. Also, if you wake up with your joints feeling stiff, heavy or sluggish this might also suggest that you have the beginnings of rheumatoid arthritis.
When the disease occurs you will notice that the joints will swell up and feel warm from the inflammation. It is also known that join pain can even spread to other organs of the body. This can lead to chronic fatigue from the amount of pain and stress.
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