Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that affects joints – most commonly the hands, wrists and feet, but also the knees.
Unlike osteoarthritis, it is caused by inflammation of the lining of the joints, rather than by wear-and-tear of the cartilage.
This lining (or synovium) becomes inflamed because the body’s immune system begins to attack the cells in the lining.
Blood flow to the area increases, causing the skin to redden, and a build-up of cells and synovial fluid (the liquid that ordinarily helps to reduce the friction in joints) causes the knee capsule to become swollen and painful.
Over time and without treatment, the process can damage and even destroy the joint components.
The chief symptoms are pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints; other possible symptoms include fatigue, a flu-like feeling of illness, and weight loss.
No clear cause is yet indentified . Rheumatoid arthritis does appear to run in families, for example, and on average women are three times more likely than men to suffer from it. Smokers are also has increased risk of developing the disease.
Physical examination by a doctor to check for swelling, blood test; tests for inflammation such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) ,rheumatoid factor x-ray, ultrasound or MRI scan.
Treatment focuses on managing and slowing the progression of the disease, and on reducing inflammation in the joints.
Three core types of treatment are available: medication (such as anti-inflammatory medicines and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs), physical therapies (such as strength-building exercises), and surgery. Surgical treatments can involve pain reduction, repair of damaged joints and correction of deformities. The types of procedure range from arthroscopy (keyhole surgery) to knee joint replacement.
