Rheumatoid arthritis and its impact on the body
If it hurts every time you do a certain movement, you probably already know that you are experiencing joint pain. This wearing of the joints can have serious repercussions, so the first step is learning how it affects your body and starting to make conscious decisions to feel better.
Joint pain, just a part of your daily routine
Placing excessive force on your joints, either through practicing a high performance sport, repetitive manual labor or natural wear and tear that comes with aging, is related to diseases that damage the joints, which are particularly debilitating. Therefore, it is essential that you give your joints proper attention.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a form of arthritis that causes inflammation in the covering of the joints. It is difficult to diagnose when it starts, but it usually presents symptoms such as redness, swelling, limited range of motion of the affected joint and, especially, pain.
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Without proper treatment, this disease can cause a lot of damage and not just in your joints. A study carried out in the John Hopkins Center for Arthritis showed that most of the damage in rheumatoid arthritis occurs within the first two years of the disease.
This is why it is important to see a certified doctor about your joint pain as soon as it starts.
Below are some other parts of the body that can also be affected:
Skin
- As the disease progresses, lumps of tissue or nodules start to form under the skin, generally in the fingers or elbows.
- When inflammation in the blood vessels (known as vasculitis) affects the skin, it results in the appearance of small red spots.
Bones
- Loss of bone density throughout the whole body, the bones get thinner and become brittle.
Eyes
- The white part of the eye, the sclerotic, becomes inflamed (scleritis), which causes pain, redness, blurry vision and sensitivity to light.
- The inflammatory process that affects the joints can also damage the tear ducts (Sjögren´s syndrome), which causes dryness.
Mouth
- The inflammatory process of rheumatoid arthritis can also affect the salivary glands, causing dry mouth.
Lungs
- Severe and prolonged inflammation of pulmonary tissue can lead to a pulmonary disease called fibrosis, which causes breathing problems and can be difficult to treat.
- Formation of abnormal, but generally inoffensive, lumps or nodules in the lungs.
Heart and blood vessels
- Untreated inflammation can also cause the blood vessels to tighten and this allows plaque (accumulation of fat and other substances) to attach to the arterial walls and cause an obstruction.
Immune system
- The function of this system is to protect the body from diseases. When a person has rheumatoid arthritis, this system is only concentrating on attacking what is happening in the joints and is not as alert to what is happening in the rest of the body.
Liver and kidneys
- Rheumatoid arthritis in itself does not damage the liver or the kidneys, but some medication used to treat it does. Analgesics, that alleviate pain, when used for too long can cause these organs to stop working properly.
Blood
- If left untreated, inflammation produced by rheumatoid arthritis can reduce the person’s red blood cells, which causes headaches and fatigue.
- Inflammation can elevate the levels of platelets in the blood and promote blood clots.
Central nervous system
- Inflammation in the tissues can cause nerve compression, which leads to numbness and tingling.
Mind
- Pain, functional and mobility restrictions and the progression of the disease are some of the factors that can contribute to depression in rheumatic patients.
There are many types of support available for people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Trained professionals with sufficient training and experience are available to design a personalized treatment plan to meet your specific needs, help you cope with this disease and carry on with your life.
As soon as you start to notice symptoms, see your doctor to confirm whether it is the start of rheumatoid arthritis and start suitable treatment as soon as possible. Being proactive in the initial stages of this disease will help prevent the more serious consequences that we have mentioned in this article. Get proper treatment and stop this disease from progressing.
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