Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic disease that is often more sever than other types of arthritis. Symptoms start with pain and swelling(inflammation) in the joints but these can later affect the rest of the body. Since the body's immune system is at the center of these changes, rheumatoid arthritis is known as an autoimmune disease. This is a condition in which the immune system starts attacking the body, causing inflammation of the joints and, ultimately, bone damage.
At first, the linings of the joints become inflamed, releasing enzymes that destroy bone and cartilage. The joints thickens and lose their shape, resulting in pain and reduced movement. Although the disease is most common in middle-aged or older people(80%) who haverheumatod arthritis first develop the disease between the ages of 35 and 50 years. Women are approximately 3 times as likely as men to cdevelop rheumatoid arthritis. In some cases, the disease may be hereditary.
At the early stages of the disease, you may experience soreness and stiffness at the joints and feel unduly tired. Loss of appetite and fever are also common. Pain and swelling usually start in the hands or feet and often the same joints on both sides of the body. The wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, knees, hips and ankles may also be affected. Disfiguring lumps known as rheumatoid nodules may appear at the back of the elbows or in orther areas of the body that receive pressure.
Eventually, the affected joints can be permanently damaged, and organs including the heart, lungs, and eyes may be damaged by continued inflammation.
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