What is rheumatoid arthritis?
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a chronic autoimmune condition in which their immune system mistakes healthy cells in their body, leading to inflammation (painful inflammation) in the affected body parts. This disease usually affects the hands, knees or ankles, and usually the same joint on both sides of the body. Sometimes, other parts of the body can also be affected (eyes, heart, and circulatory system and/or lungs).
Causes
In a healthy body, the immune system will attack bacteria, viruses to fight infection. However, with rheumatoid arthritis, the healthy cells that line your joints are attacked, causing swelling, stiffness, and pain in the joints. Unfortunately, doctors do not yet know the exact cause behind RA. There are several possible factors that may put you at a higher risk of developing this chronic disease:
- woman
- Family history with RA
- smoking
Symptoms
What is rheumatoid arthritis? In the early stages, patients may experience tenderness and pain, invisible redness or swelling in the joint.
Rheumatoid arthritis affects everyone differently regardless of age, gender.
Pay attention to some warning signs of RA such as:
- Joint paintenderness, swelling, or stiffness that lasts six weeks or longer.
- Small joints (wrist, some joints in the hands and feet) are usually affected first.
- Both joints on both sides of the body are affected.
Rheumatoid arthritis affects everyone differently regardless of age, gender. Let’s break down the thought that someone is “too young to have arthritis” because it can hurt their feelings. To avoid what NOT to say to people living with RA is important because your words, even with good intentions, can hurt them.
When to get medical advice
If you suspect you have symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, contact a general practitioner practitioner (GP) as soon as possible so they can try to determine the underlying cause. The earlier rheumatoid arthritis is diagnosed, the more likely it is that your condition can be prevented from worsening or from the risk of joint damage.
Treatment
Not so good news, rheumatoid arthritis is incurable. However, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can help patients enjoy their lives as much as possible and continue their daily activities and work.
Take your pill regularly, every day.
Some treatment options include:
- Long-term medication: relieve symptoms and slow the condition
- Supportive treatments: for example, physiotherapy and occupational therapy, to support your daily activities in case of any problems.
- Surgery: to fix any new or existing joint problems.
In terms of taking medication for rheumatoid arthritis, it’s important to stay consistent, which means taking your pill at the same time every day. This routine can help keep your condition under control, reduce flares, and make your life easier. There are undoubtedly many solutions for medication reminders available, from the humble smartphone alarm to a smart pill tracker. Please remember that seeking help from a professional health advisor or doctor is very important when your condition worsens or if you you miss your pill
Popit collaborated with Pfizer to improve the compliance of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. After studying the treatment journey of rheumatoid arthritis patients, Pfizer discovered that they were not receiving enough support to cope with the condition. Therefore, this collaboration aims to encourage patient medication adherence and give them less stress about forgetting their pill. Popit Smart Pill Reminder can be purchased here; Popit App, delivery fee is all inclusive.
Mikko Veräjänkorva is a pharmacist and holds a BScBa in International Business. He has more than 15 years of experience in the pharmaceutical field from the pharmacy, medical and pharmaceutical industry. He is one of the founders and board member of Farenta since 2003.
My goal is to write high quality informative articles based on science in a way that we all can easily get the point across. Science and evidence-based research is at the core of my writing. The main purpose of my articles is to provide practical information on healthy living and to provide reliable and practical information about various medical conditions.
Bringing medical jargon to the masses is my mission.
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