Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disorder primarily affecting the joints, often resulting in warm, swollen, and painful joints. This condition typically worsens after rest, with the wrists and hands being the most commonly involved areas, usually on both sides of the body.
There are several diseases where joint pain is a primary symptom, generally referred to as “arthritis.” These include:
Hemarthrosis
Osteoarthritis [Arthritis]
Rheumatoid arthritis [Rheumatoid Arthritis]
Gout and pseudo-gout
Septic arthritis
Ankylosing spondylitis
Rheumatoid arthritis is not only a joint disease but also a chronic inflammatory disorder that can affect multiple body systems, including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, and blood vessels. As an autoimmune disorder, RA occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s tissues.
The pathophysiology of RA involves immune-mediated inflammatory disease, with the disease initiation and propagation being influenced by inflammatory mediators. This systemic autoimmune disease is characterized by inflammatory arthritis and extra-articular involvement, often influenced by genetic and environmental factors, including tobacco.
RA’s autoimmune nature means the body’s immune system attacks its own healthy cells and tissues, causing inflammation around the joints and potential damage to the skeletal system and other organs like the heart and lungs. Researchers believe that factors including heredity play a role in the development of RA.
For more detailed information, you can visit these resources:
Rheumatoid arthritis in simple terms [Simple English Wikipedia]
Symptoms and causes of RA from Mayo Clinic [Mayo Clinic]
In-depth RA pathophysiology from Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center [Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center]
Comprehensive information on RA from NCBI Bookshelf [NCBI Bookshelf]
Rheumatoid Arthritis details from Johns Hopkins Medicine [Johns Hopkins Medicine]
