Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, is an autoimmune disorder, which causes chronic inflammation to many joints, where your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body’s tissues and joints.Persistent symmetric polyarthritis (synovitis), which often affects the joints of hands and feet, but may also affect any joint lined by a synovial membrane, is the defining characteristic of RA.

Additionally, RA can also affects various tissues throughout the body and causes symptoms in organs including the heart, lungs, and eyes.

The prevalence rate for RA is about 1% globally, and the yearly incidence is roughly 3 cases per 10,000 people. The prevalence rate rises with age and peaks between the ages of 35 and 50. All populations are affected by RA.

The most prevalent kind of pediatric arthritis is juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), also known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). The immunogenic associations, clinical pattern, and functional outcome of JIA differ from those of adult-onset RA in the majority of patients.

CAUSES:

Normally your immune system helps protect your body from infection and disease. But here it attacks the healthy tissue and joints.

It is uncertain what causes RA. Although a genetic component appears likely, while your genes don’t actually cause RA, they trigger it when a person with a genetic predisposition receives an environmental trigger (such as smoking, an infection or trauma) that causes an autoimmune response.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

RA often develops slowly in most individuals, usually starting with joint pain, fever, malaise, and weakness before advancing to joint swelling and inflammation. Relapses and remissions are frequently seen over the course of RA.

Common signs and symptoms following

• Stiffness in affected joints
• Tenderness
• Limited range of motion
• Muscular pains
• Swollen joints
• Rheumatoid nodules
• Symptoms appear on both sides of the body
• Extra-articular manifestations such as tiredness, overall malaise and, Loss of appetite

WHO ALL UNDER RISK?

Sex: women are more likely to develop RA than men.

Age: can occur at any age, most commonly begins in middle age.

Family history: The chance of developing RA is 2 to 3 times higher among first-degree relatives of those with the condition. People born with specific genes, HLA (human leukocyte antigen),are more likely to develop RA.

Smoking and obesity: The risk of RA may be highest when people with these genes are exposed to environmental factors like smoking or when a person is obese.

Dietary risk factors include

• Red meat
• Vitamin D deficiency
• Excess intake of coffee
• high salt consumption

HOW RA IS DIAGNOSED?

RA can be difficult to diagnose in the early stages because the early signs and symptoms mimic those of many other diseases. Delay in diagnosis and treatment affects RA outcomes.

People with RA often have an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) or C-reactive protein (CRP) level, which may indicate the presence of an inflammatory process in the body. And a high rheumatoid factor (RF) is frequently observed.

Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (ANTI-CCP) antibodies is a highly specific blood test for confirming the diagnosis of RA.

GENERAL MANAGEMENT:

• Regular range of motion, stretching, and muscle-strengthening exercise
• Heat and cold application
• Maintain proper weight
• Reduces stress
• Take healthy diet
• Avoid smoking and alcohol consumption.

CAN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS CURED BY HOMEOPATHY?

Homeopathy consultations involve a complete exploration of the patient’s emotional, spiritual and physical well-being to enable treatment of the whole person not just the illness.

RA being a chronic systemic inflammatory disease that is auto-immune calls for constitutional medication. Homeopathy offers excellent curative treatment for the patients with RA, especially for those who have not developed joint deformities and it also controls pain very effectively.

The treatment can also have a role to play in controlling the progress of the condition to some extent and in avoiding the complications.

Hence homeopathy is very strongly suggested for all cases of rheumatoid arthritis.

Contact DR JEMZ HOMOEOPATHY for your speedy recovery!