People who commonly are inflicted with rheumatoid arthritis or RA are often the elderly this disease can be highly debilitating. This autoimmune disease causes feeling of swelling and pains around the joints. Symptoms and diagnosis typically occurs most frequently during middle age but even children and teens and young adults can acquire this. It is actually becoming more common in fact to see RA diagnosis in young adults
A common misconception is that RA only strikes the joints, but while this certainly is the most common scenario, other parts of the body can be affected as well. Other targets may include the skin, kidneys, the lungs or other organs. Despite much research, doctors still cannot cure this disorder and they don't actually know what causes it. RA is theorized to be highly hereditary and people are more likely to acquire rheumatoid arthritis if they have family member who suffers from it. Smokers also have been found to have a much higher risk of developing RA than non-smokers; however some cases of RA are idiopathic, meaning that there is no known cause.
Stiffness and limited movement, as well as including swelling in your joints are symptoms of RA. Your skin may also have nodules. To look at the level of inflammation as well as to identify certain antibodies linked with the disease, blood tests are typically prescribed. To look for bone loss around the person's joints, Doctors also take X-rays. It is advised to seek medical help as soon as possible if symptoms arise as these methods are required to determine the root of the problem.
At this time cure is still not found for RA and this disease is chronic and progressive. To help patients manage symptoms and slow progression of the disease, there are a variety of treatments that can be done. Regular exercise seems to improve strength and reduce fatigue and doctors typically recommend patients to do so. This can be a huge factor in preventing such diseases from progressing as quickly.
There are two types of basic RA treatments that are available. The first one includes medicines that do not cure, but only relieve the symptoms or reduce the actual inflammation. Sometimes NSAIDs are used and this stands for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and it includes commonly used drugs such as ibuprofen. Steroidal drugs also are used to treat RA. Both steroids and NSAIDs can help relieve the pain and stiffness. However, it should be noted that they don't manage the disease; they simply relieve some of the main symptoms.
The second type of treatment seeks to put the disease into remission by attacking the disease at a cellular level. This is through the help of DMARDs or Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. They can help in treat arthritis and slows down progressive joint destruction at the same time. The most commonly known DMARDs are methotrexate and sulfasalazube. These medications are also used to treat other conditions such as cancer or inflammatory bowel disease and provide other benefits like reducing the risk of rejection of a transplanted organ. Adalimumab is a drug that can be used for both children over the age of four and adults in which helps reduce the symptoms of RA. Adalimumab is one of several drugs that have been created using custom monoclonal antibodies.
A common misconception is that RA only strikes the joints, but while this certainly is the most common scenario, other parts of the body can be affected as well. Other targets may include the skin, kidneys, the lungs or other organs. Despite much research, doctors still cannot cure this disorder and they don't actually know what causes it. RA is theorized to be highly hereditary and people are more likely to acquire rheumatoid arthritis if they have family member who suffers from it. Smokers also have been found to have a much higher risk of developing RA than non-smokers; however some cases of RA are idiopathic, meaning that there is no known cause.
Stiffness and limited movement, as well as including swelling in your joints are symptoms of RA. Your skin may also have nodules. To look at the level of inflammation as well as to identify certain antibodies linked with the disease, blood tests are typically prescribed. To look for bone loss around the person's joints, Doctors also take X-rays. It is advised to seek medical help as soon as possible if symptoms arise as these methods are required to determine the root of the problem.
At this time cure is still not found for RA and this disease is chronic and progressive. To help patients manage symptoms and slow progression of the disease, there are a variety of treatments that can be done. Regular exercise seems to improve strength and reduce fatigue and doctors typically recommend patients to do so. This can be a huge factor in preventing such diseases from progressing as quickly.
There are two types of basic RA treatments that are available. The first one includes medicines that do not cure, but only relieve the symptoms or reduce the actual inflammation. Sometimes NSAIDs are used and this stands for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and it includes commonly used drugs such as ibuprofen. Steroidal drugs also are used to treat RA. Both steroids and NSAIDs can help relieve the pain and stiffness. However, it should be noted that they don't manage the disease; they simply relieve some of the main symptoms.
The second type of treatment seeks to put the disease into remission by attacking the disease at a cellular level. This is through the help of DMARDs or Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. They can help in treat arthritis and slows down progressive joint destruction at the same time. The most commonly known DMARDs are methotrexate and sulfasalazube. These medications are also used to treat other conditions such as cancer or inflammatory bowel disease and provide other benefits like reducing the risk of rejection of a transplanted organ. Adalimumab is a drug that can be used for both children over the age of four and adults in which helps reduce the symptoms of RA. Adalimumab is one of several drugs that have been created using custom monoclonal antibodies.
About the Author:
Armand Zeiders enjoys writing about biomedical research. For more information regarding custom antibodies, please check out the PrimmBiotech.com site today.