Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that can affect more than just your joints. In some people, the condition can damage a wide variety of body systems, including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, and blood vessels. Characteristics that increase risk include age, with RA most likely to begin in adults in their sixties, and sex, as new cases of RA are typically two-to-three times higher in women than men. Genetics also play a role, as people born with specific genes are more likely to develop RA.
Arthritis is the swelling and tenderness of one or more joints, with the main symptoms being joint pain and stiffness, which typically worsen with age. The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. RA commonly affects the hands, knees, or ankles, and usually the same joint on both sides of the body, such as both hands or both knees. However, it can also cause problems in other parts of the body, such as the eyes, heart, and circulatory system, and/or the lungs.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term disease that causes inflammation of the joints. The inflammation can be severe enough to affect how the joints and other parts of the body look and function. In the hand, RA may cause deformities in the joints of the fingers, making moving your hands difficult.
This type of arthritis occurs when your immune system attacks the tissue lining the joints on both sides of your body and may affect other parts as well. The exact cause is unknown, but treatment options include lifestyle changes, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nutritional therapy, medication, and surgery.
A 2020 review found that the prevalence of RA in the Middle East and Africa ranged from 0.06 to 3.4%. RA occurs more frequently in females than in males, with around 75% of people with RA being female.
For more detailed information, you can visit the following resources:
Mayo Clinic on Rheumatoid Arthritis
CDC on Rheumatoid Arthritis
Mayo Clinic on Arthritis
Arthritis Foundation on Rheumatoid Arthritis
Johns Hopkins Medicine on Rheumatoid Arthritis
Cleveland Clinic on Rheumatoid Arthritis
Medical News Today on Rheumatoid Arthritis Prevalence
