Although there is no cure for RA, the goal of treatment is to minimize patients’ symptoms and disability by introducing appropriate medical therapy as soon as possible, before the joints are Current treatments offer most patients good to excellent relief of symptoms and the ability to continue to function at or near normal levels. Therapy for patients with RA has improved dramatically over the past 25 years. Rather, diagnosis is established by evaluating the symptoms and results from a physical exam, laboratory tests and X‐rays. It is important to remember that, for most patients with this disease (especially those who have had symptoms for fewer than six months), there is no single test that “confirms” a diagnosis of RA. MRI and ultrasound are also being used more frequently to help detect the severity of RA. These X‐rays are, however, useful in determining if the disease is progressing. X‐rays can be very helpful in diagnosing RA, but may not show any abnormalities in the first 3–6 months of arthritis. Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate or “sed rate” (a blood test that, in most patients with RA, tends to confirm the amount of inflammation in the joints).Antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptides (CCP).Rheumatoid factor (an antibody eventually found in approximately 80% of patients with RA, but in as few as 30% at the start of arthritis).Certain blood levels commonly found in RA can help in establishing a diagnosis. The diagnosis of RA is based on the symptoms described and physical examination findings such as warmth, swelling and pain in the joints. For this reason, patients suspected of having RA should be evaluated by a rheumatologist, a physician with necessary skill and experience to reach a precise diagnosis and develop the most appropriate treatment Additionally, many diseases, especially early on, behave like RA. RA can be difficult to diagnose because it may begin with only subtle symptoms, such as achy joints or a little stiffness in the morning. The disease most often begins between the fourth and sixth decades of life. ![]() In fact, 1–3% of women may develop rheumatoid arthritis is their lifetime. RA is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis, affecting more than 1.3 million Americans. In response, new medications have been developed to specifically block certain signals that cause the body to attack its own immune system resulting in RA symptoms and joint damage. Inflammatory chemicals released by the immune cells cause swelling and damage to cartilage and bone. The primary focus of the inflammation is in the synovium, which is the tissue that lines the joint. While the cause of RA remains unknown, new research is giving us a better understanding of the immune and even genetic factors that may be involved in producing inflammation. RA is classified as an autoimmune disease, which develops because certain cells of the immune system don’t work properly and begin attacking healthy joints. Firm lumps, called rheumatoid nodules, which grow beneath the skin in areas such as the elbow and hands.Dry eyes and mouth from an associated condition known as Sjogren’s syndrome.Other symptoms that can occur in RA include: For example, osteoarthritis does not generally cause prolonged morning stiffness. This long period of morning stiffness is an important diagnostic clue, since few other arthritic diseases behave this way. ![]() ![]() The stiffness seen in active RA is typically worst in the morning and may last one to two hours or throughout the entire day. ![]() Inflammation can develop in other organs as well. This produces a pattern of joint disease that rheumatologists regard as characteristic of RA. While RA can affect any joint, the small joints in the hands and feet tend be involved more frequently than others. RA is a chronic disease that causes pain, stiffness, swelling and limitations in the motion and function of multiple joints.
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