Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain

If you have rheumatoid arthritis pain you are not alone. Over 2 million Americans suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system attacks normal tissue as if they were invading pathogens.

Primarily the lining of the joints are attacked causing inflammation.

In some cases however, the lining of the blood vessels, heart and lungs may also become inflamed.

As a result of the joints being attacked, tenderness, stiffness and swelling can occur. This is what causes rheumatoid arthritis pain.

Rheumatoid arthritis pain usually effects joints on both sides of the body equally. 

The most commonly effective joints are the wrist, fingers, knees, and ankle. Rheumatoid arthritis usually begins with fatigue, morning stiffness, muscle aches, loss of appetite and weakness.

If the joint is not used for a while it can become warm, tender and stiff. Rheumatoid arthritis pain is often felt on both sides of the body.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease that progresses in three stages.

The first stage is the swelling of the synovial lining.

In the second stage a division and growth of cells causes the synovium to thicken causing swelling.

And in the third and final stage the inflamed cells release enzymes that may digest bone and cartilage causing deformity, rheumatoid arthritis pain and loss of movement in the joints.

There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis.

The aim of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis pain is to reduce the pain and stiffness in affected joints as much as possible.

To prevent joint damage as much as possible and to minimize any disability caused by pain, joint damage or deformities are the goals of arthritis treatment.

Many people that have rheumatoid arthritis have antibodies called rheumatoid factors in their bloodstream that are part of the inflammatory process of the disease. Symptoms such as morning stiffness and swelling should be present for at least six weeks before the diagnosis is considered.

Range of motion exercises and individual exercise programs prescribed by a physical therapist can help to relieve rheumatoid arthritis pain.

Rheumatoid arthritis differs from person to person. As treatment for rheumatoid arthritis improves, severe disability and life threatening complications appear to be decreasing.

Consult your health care provider if you think you have symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.