Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune and inflammatory disease, primarily affecting the joints and causing significant discomfort and disability. It occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells, leading to inflammation in the affected body parts. RA often affects joints symmetrically, for example, both hands or both knees, and can lead to joint deformities, especially in the fingers. Common symptoms of RA include joint pain, stiffness (particularly worse in the mornings or after inactivity), fatigue, fever, and loss of appetite.
The disease commonly starts in smaller joints, such as those connecting fingers to hands and toes to feet, and as it progresses, it can spread to larger joints like wrists and knees. Factors that increase the risk of developing RA include environmental elements like exposure to toxic chemicals or infections, and gender, with a higher prevalence in women than men. Other risk factors include never having been pregnant and genetic predisposition.
While both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis cause joint pain and stiffness, osteoarthritis is associated with the breakdown of joint cartilage, whereas RA involves inflammation of the joint lining (synovium). Gout, another type of arthritis, differs from RA in that it is caused by uric acid crystal buildup in the joints, resulting in severe pain, redness, and swelling, often in the big toe or other joints.
To understand more about RA, including its causes and treatments, refer to these informative sources:
Mayo Clinic on Rheumatoid Arthritis,
WebMD on RA Causes & Risk Factors,
Arthritis Foundation on Rheumatoid Arthritis,
CDC on Rheumatoid Arthritis,
Johns Hopkins Medicine on Rheumatoid Arthritis,
Cleveland Clinic on Rheumatoid Arthritis,
Healthline on Rheumatoid Arthritis.
