2006-07-13 23:31:41 · 7 answers · asked by xcacax 1 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
Specifically, does it affect my knees?
2006-07-13 23:37:24 · update #1
Yes, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes pain, stiffness, and swelling around the joints. RA is often confused with osteoarthritis, which is a condition of wear and tear on the joints.
RA is not a condition of wear and tear that occurs with aging or injury. It is a disease known as an "autoimmune" disease in which your own immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue, causing inflammation that damages your joints. Normally, the immune system fights against infections and keeps a person's body healthy. However, in the case of RA, the immune system attacks cells in the joints, causing pain and swelling. Over time, people with RA often find that their joints are stiff and do not move properly, causing them considerable pain and discomfort
More info here
http://www.ra.com/ra/rastore/cgi-bin/ProdSubEV_Cat_200635_SubCat_200635_NavRoot_303.htm
2006-07-13 23:34:55 · answer #1 · answered by GVD 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
systemic in this sense means that it affects the entire body (or can do at least) Osteoarthritis (there are 100+ kinds) affects individual joints and is a result of wear and tear (hence old people having hip replacements) or after injury so a joint that has been damaged in a football match can become arthritic. in rheumatoid disease there is an inflammation of the joints not caused by injury. It can affect other organs as well eg the heart. It can be identified by blood test. It is also the tye of arthritis most common in children.
2016-03-15 23:45:39 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rheumatoid Arthritis is a debilitating illness that can affect every joint in your body. RA is more worsened by those who have a predisposition to it. RA can be mild to moderate to severe in pain and there are many stages of RA. Joints can become enlarged and stiff with much pain in working with them. The most simpliest of routine daily living can become challenging to a person with advanced RA. There are many medications for this disease that may help some people. There are oral and injection type medications out there.
Speak to your family doctor or your rheumatologist and see what treatment options are the best for you!
Good luck and I hope you feel better soon!
2006-07-14 01:27:23 · answer #3 · answered by Lyndee 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is traditionally considered a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack the joints. It is a disabling and painful inflammatory condition, which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and muscles.
The name is derived from the Greek rheumatos meaning "flowing", the suffix -oid meaning "in the shape of", arthr meaning "joint" and the suffix -itis, a "condition involving inflammation".
2006-07-13 23:36:30 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Normally, it starts with the hands and feet, but it can affect the knees as well. The hallmark of RA is that it is symmetrical. A joint affected on one side of the body means that the same joint on the other side will also be affected.
2006-07-14 01:25:09 · answer #5 · answered by Buzz s 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its a autoimmune disease.
it will affect the joints in the body. since knee is a joint too, RA might affect it too.
2006-07-14 02:47:28 · answer #6 · answered by rachelkelly 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeppers!
2006-07-13 23:35:04 · answer #7 · answered by Ricky J. 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋