Rheumatoid Arthritis :: essays research papers

     Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune affection that sauses chronic discharge of the articulations. Rhematiod arthritis merchantman also set about discharge of the tissue around the joints, as well as other organs in the body. Autoimmune diseases are illnesses which occur when the body tissues are mjistakenly attacked by its own immune system. The immune system is a complex makeup of cells and antibodies designed norm completelyy to seek and destroy invaders of the body, particularly infections. Patients with these diseases have antibodies in their blood which target their own body tissues, where they can be associated with inflammation. Because it can affect multiple other organs of the body, rheumatoid arthritis is referred to as a systemic illness and is more or less time called rheumatoid disease.      While rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic illness, meaning it can last for years, patients may experience large periods without symptoms. Typically, however, rheumatoid arthritis is a progressive illness that has the potential to cause joint destruction and functional disability. A joint is where two off-whites obtain to allow movement of body parts. Arthritis means join inflammation. The join inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis causes swelling, pain ,stiffness, and redness in the joints. The inflammation of rheumatoid disease can also occur in tissues around the joints, such as the tendons, ligaments, and muscles.      In some patienst with rheumatoid arthritis, chronic inflammation leads to the destruction of the cartilage, bone and ligaments causing deformity of the joints. Damage to the joint can occur early(a) in the disease and be progressive. Moreover, studies have shown that the progressive damage to the joints does non necessarily correlate with the degree of pain, stiffness, or swelling present in the joints.     Rheumatoid arthritis is a common rheuma tic disease, affecting more than two million people in the United States. The disease is three times more common in women as in men. It afflicts people of all races equally. The disease can begin at any age, but intimately often starts after age forty and before sixty. In some families, multiple members can be affected, suggesting a genetic basis for the disorder.      The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown.