Rheumatoid Arthritis is a disease that affects the immune system, causing the body to turn against itself and attack healthy joint tissue. No specific cause has been identified, but it is believed that genetics, environment, hormones and stress levels can all have an impact. It is diagnosed with a combination of a physical examination of the joints, reflexes, muscle stability and appearance of the skin, a blood test for white blood cell count and an x-ray that will show up any long-term joint damage.

Some patients may require surgery. This would not be a first option for most people and is usually joint replacement or tendon reconstruction surgery. Otherwise, treatment focuses on the right medication, regular rest, regular, appropriate exercise, healthy eating, increased awareness and psychological support. The aim is to take away the pain, eliminate swelling, discontinue or disable tissue destruction, maintain flexibility and minimize fatigue and stress factors.

Some symptoms concerning rheumatoid arthritis that aren’t in the joints are anemia, a decrease in the production of red blood cells, muscular neck pain and dry eyes and mouth and, in some rare cases, inflamed blood vessels and lining of the lungs or heart. Some people will have shorter flair ups of RA that last a month or two, while others can have longer periods with severe symptoms for years on end.

The longer Rheumatoid Arthritis is actively causing symptoms, it is also causing more irreparable damage and disability to its victims. Osteoporosis is more prominent in long-term sufferers, which often means their bones will fracture very easily. Muscles that are used to support the joints are either weakened or suffer from over-use, causing referred pain and disability. As Rheumatoid Arthritis starts causing its damage very early on, rapid diagnosis is becoming prominently important.

There are over two million people in the US with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Those who suffer with it experience pain and inflammation in their joints, accompanied by swelling, stiffness, fever and fatigue. If left untreated, it can progress to
total dysfunction of the joints. Relief does appear to be close at hand, with a new generation of treatments being trialed
today.

The disease affects most people from middle age, but some children and young adults can face earlier onset (Juvenile
Arthritis). Unlike Ankylosing Spondylitis, it affects double or more women than men. Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects both sides of the body, which is called having symmetrical symptoms. This means if a person has it in one knee, they will
have it in the other as well. It commonly affects the wrists and finger joints, but can be in any part of the body.

Risk Factors:
With no known cause, it’s hard to know for sure who will get RA, but some risk factors may include:

-Age. The risk of getting rheumatoid arthritis seems to increase with age, until age 80, where it suddenly decreases.

-Sex. Females are more likely to contract RA then men.

-Viral Exposure. Being exposed to an infection, possibly a virus or bacterium that may trigger rheumatoid arthritis.

-Genes. Inheriting specific genes may make some people more susceptible.

When To See A Doctor:
Persistent discomfort and swelling in multiple joints on both sides of the body may be a sign that it’s time to seek medical treatment. Your doctor can work with you to develop a pain management and treatment plan for your rheumatoid arthritis.
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Rheumatoid arthritis usually causes pain in several joints at the same time. In its early stages, the joints of the wrists, hands, feet and knees are most affected, followed by pain in the shoulders, elbows, hips, jaw and neck as the disease progresses.

Small lumps, called rheumatoid nodules, are also common under the skin of the elbows, hands, feet and Achilles tendons during outbreaks. They can be as small as a pea, or as large as a walnut, and generally aren’t painful.
Considered a chronic disease, rheumatoid arthritis features severe flare-ups featuring severe swelling, pain and weakness, followed by days, weeks or months of normalcy.

What Causes Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Although a specific cause is not known, some researchers suspect that rheumatoid arthritis is triggered by a virus or bacterium infection in some people. Hormones are also being researched as a development factor.

Who gets Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Women between the ages of 20 and 50 years of age, fall victim to this debilitating disease two to three times more than men. Statistics show that no one is immune from it, however. Even children and the elderly have been diagnosed. To date, there is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, but treatments are being used to help sufferers protect joint damage in order to live more productive lives.

The Symptoms:
The signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis may come and go over time, according to Mayo Clinic experts, and may include:

-Pain and swelling of the joints, especially in the hands and feet.
-Generalized aching or feelings of stiffness of the joints and muscles.
-Loss of motion.
-Loss of strength in muscles attached to the affected joints.
-Fatigue, which can be severe during a flare-up.
-Low-grade fever.
-Deformity of the joints.
-General sense of not feeling well.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), is one of the most debilitating of all 100 or so forms of the disease, causing joints to ache and
throb and eventually become deformed. Rheumatoid Arthritis can make simple things like opening a jar or taking a walk
excruciating for sufferers.

Unlike osteoarthritis, which is caused by wear and tear on the joints, RA is an inflammatory condition. Its exact cause is
unknown, but researchers believe that it is the caused when the body’s immune system attacks the tissue that lines the
joints.

Traditional Chinese Medicine or Ayurveda Medicine also recommends boiling herbal remedies for arthritis to serve as a tonic soup or drink. You will need to consult a practitioner as he can then examine you and prescribe a preparation based on your specific condition. You will need to consume herbal remedies for arthritis over a period of time before you can feel any positive effects from them.

Herbal remedies for arthritis can also be consumed as a supplement. Just visit any vitamin supplement store to get them. Do ensure that you stick to recommended dosage instructions.

Herbal remedies for arthritis are worth considering especially if you wish to explore alternative methods to finding pain relief. Do ensure that your herbs do not interfere with drugs that you are taking for other medical conditions as well. Be sure to check with your doctor first.
Sandra Kim Leong writes on common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis. Her site contains information and resources on arthritis treatment, arthritis symptoms and diet for arthritis. Please visit her blog at www.rheumatoid-arthritis-relief.com for more updates.
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Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common diseases that occur globally. The term arthritis is a general term that is used for almost a group of 100 diseases. These diseases bear some similar characteristics like inflammation and pain in joints. Arthritis word is a Greek word that literally means inflammation in joints. Though some people suffering from arthritis might not complain inflammation in the joint but the common complain is discomfort in joint.

Out of these 100, major three occurring arthritic conditions are

(a) Osteoarthritis – it is a condition in which the cartilaginous tissue that is present in the joint gets converted to bony structures. Due to this body tissue formation the movement of the joints gets restricted and there is severe pain in the joint on movement. In ayurvedic terminology it is known as sandhi gata vata and is caused due to vata vitiation in the body.

(b) Gout – gout is a disease that is commonly seen in rich people due to their luxurious life style. This disease occurs due to life style disorders and commonly seen in people who lacks physical activities in their life style. In these diseases the serum uric acid gets increased and due to this its crystal formation occurs that ultimately settles in the joints. As the joint space gets occupied with these crystals of uric acid. On movement, these crystals hinder the free movement of the joint. In ayurveda this situation is called as vata Rakta.

(c) Rheumatoid arthritis – it is a condition in which our immune system attacks our own body. It is an autoimmune disease that can lead to the joint inflammation. Some times the surrounding tissues also get inflamed. In ayurveda it is known as aamvata. It happens due to vata vitiation in the body. It causes severe pain in joints and very often swelling is present….

Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms typically come and go, sometimes over a person’s entire lifespan, and they may range from non-existent or mild to moderate or severe. Different drugs and treatments may be prescribed depending on the severity of the rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and the stage of progression of the disease.

Some fascinating recent research indicates that the fruit and the rind of the mangosteen may provide safe and effective relief for the common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Components found in the mangosteen are anti-inflammatory and COX-2 inhibiting, while others are anti-ulcer and cardio-protective.

Mangosteen supplementation may also be helpful in preventing the side effects associated with the stronger drugs used to treat the more severe rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, because of anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals found in the fruit.
Mike Leuthen is chief editor of www.restore-your-health.com, a free resource covering health conditions A to Z.
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