Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease characterized by painful swelling of the joints. This eMedTV resource explores rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, treatment options, and prognosis -- as well as how often the disease occurs.
This eMedTV article explains that while scientists don't know the exact cause or causes of rheumatoid arthritis, they believe that its main causes may be linked to a combination of several factors (including genetics and hormones).
Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms often affect the wrist joints and the finger joints closest to the hand. This eMedTV article lists other potential rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, which include fatigue, fevers, and a symmetrical pattern of swollen joints.
This eMedTV page lists some of the tools that doctors use to help diagnose rheumatoid arthritis (such as a medical history, laboratory tests, and x-rays), as well as factors that can make diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis difficult in its early stages.
Medications, surgery, and lifestyle changes are among the treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis. This eMedTV resource explains that rheumatoid arthritis treatment focuses on relieving pain, reducing swelling, and slowing or stopping joint damage.
This eMedTV Web page covers the four classes of drugs that can be used as rheumatoid arthritis medications (including NSAIDs and DMARDs), noting in particular how they work to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and slow the course of the disease.
This eMedTV page explains the importance of exercise in treating rheumatoid arthritis, noting in particular how often people with rheumatoid arthritis should exercise, which exercises are best, and how to start a rheumatoid arthritis exercise program.
People with rheumatoid arthritis should eat plenty of heart-healthy foods (like fruits and vegetables). This eMedTV page explains, however, that there's no special "rheumatoid arthritis diet" to help slow the progression of, or even cure, the disease.
This eMedTV segment explores the safety and effectiveness of a number of alternative therapies rheumatoid arthritis patients sometimes consider, including acupuncture, homeopathy, special diets, and botanical supplements and other dietary supplements.
Some people may wonder, "Are coffee and tea rheumatoid arthritis risk factors?" This eMedTV Web page explains that there is little evidence of a connection between consuming coffee or tea and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis among women.
The effects of rheumatoid arthritis can lead to severe bone and joint damage in some people. This eMedTV page explores the effects of rheumatoid arthritis, noting in particular why it's difficult to predict the disease's effects in individual cases.
This eMedTV article explores some areas of current rheumatoid arthritis research (including triggers of the disease, genes, and immune systems) and explains how future advances in research will improve the quality of life for people with the disease.
According to recent rheumatoid arthritis statistics, the number of new cases may actually be declining. This eMedTV page explains that the disease is most common among people ages 35 to 50, and occurs two or three times as often in women than in men.
The two categories of arthritis pain are acute (which is temporary) and chronic (which lasts a long time). This eMedTV article explores causes of arthritis pain, how many people it affects, and how it is measured and treated.
This page on the eMedTV Web site explains the link between osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as how nutrition, exercise, medications, and other strategies can help prevent and treat osteoporosis in people who have rheumatoid arthritis.
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