rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a form of arthritis that causes pain, swelling, stiffness and loss of function in your joints. 

Signs & Symptoms
These following joint symptoms are clues to RA:
  • Joint pain, tenderness, swelling or stiffness for six weeks or longer
  • Morning body stiffness for 30 minutes or longer
  • More than one joint is affected
  • Small joints (wrists, certain joints of the hands and feet) are affected
  • The same joints on both sides of the body are affected
  • Pain
  • Fatigue
  • Loss of appetite
  • Low-grade fever
  • Symptoms and effects of RA may come and go
  • A period of high disease activity (increases in inflammation and other symptoms) is called a flare.
    • A flare can last for days or months
Here of some ways RA can affect organs and body systems:
  • Eye problems
    • Dryness
    • pain
    • redness
    • sensitivity to light in your eyes 
    • impaired vision
  • Mouth problems
    • Dryness
    • gum irritation
    • mouth infections
  • Rheumatoid nodules – small lumps under the skin over bony areas
  • Shortness of breath (due to lung inflammation and scarring)
  • Inflammation of blood vessels that can lead to damage in the nerves, skin and other organs
  • Anemia, a lower than normal number of red blood cells

​Risk Factors
  • Genetic Factors.
    • certain genes that may play a small role in the development of RA 
  • Environmental Factors. These include:
    • Bacteria and viruses
    • Exposure to secondhand smoke
    • Air pollution
    • Insecticides
There are also several risks that come from exposure to occupational hazards, such as:
  • Mineral oils
  • Silica mineral (found in obsidian, granite, diorite, and sandstone)
  •  Gender: The disease is far more common in women 
  • Age. Typically presents in those between 40-60.
  • family history of rheumatoid arthritis 
Complications
Rheumatoid arthritis increases your risk of developing:
  • Increased risk of osteoporosis
    • weakens bones
    • more prone to fractured bones
  • Firm bumps (nodules) around pressure points such as elbows
    • Nodules can form anywhere in the body, including the lungs
  • Sjorgren's symdrome which decreases moisture in eyes and mouth
  • impaired immune system, which leads to increased infections
  • Increased risk of hardenened and blocked arteries
  • Scarring of lung tissue
    • shortness of breath
  • Increased risk of lymphoma (blood cancers)

Communicable / Non-communicable
Non-communicable​