As an individual who has now been diagnosed with Rheumatoid
Arthritis for over 5 years, it has taken a lot of research and involvement with
the amazing Arthritis Foundation to learn exactly what Rheumatoid Arthritis is.
There are so many misconceptions of what the disease actually is, I think
people don’t realize just how different this disease is from typical aches and
pains of joints.
Rheumatoid Arthritis, also known as RA, is caused by a severe
inflammation in the joints because of a malfunction in the body’s immune
system.
Typically our bodies respond to injury or illness by
triggering temporary inflammation which allows us to know we have a problem and
that we should get it treated or rest the joint. In RA, the immune system turns
against healthy tissues and it is chronic rather than temporary.
Over time, the persistent inflammation does more than just
cause pain. It actually can break down our joints and damage them permanently.
It can also affect internal organs like the liver, heart, spleen and eyes.
People with RA typically have flares of pain caused by sudden
onsets of severe inflammation. These flares can last for days or weeks. The
body can move from joint to joint all over a person with RA’s body with no
specific reason for the change of location.
Individuals with RA can see a doctor for diagnosis and to
start medicines that work best for their specific arthritis. The more they can
get involved with The Arthritis Foundation to learn about decreasing pain
techniques, healthy activity, staying active, good nutrition, etc. the better
they can control their disease and their flares!
It’s scary when pain hits, but the great news is that
arthritis most definitely can be a part of our lives without controlling our
lives. Here’s to staying active and working hard to help The Arthritis
Foundation with their vision of creating a world FREE of arthritis pain!
I obtained the great information in this article from:
