Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term inflammatory disorder that affects the small lining of the joints in your legs and hands. The major symptom of this disorder is swelling of joints in the knees or hands which can cause severe pain and stiffness. Exact cause of this disorder is not known, but hereditary and environmental factor can trigger this disease. In rare cases it can affect the joints of eyes, lungs or blood vessels. Rheumatoid arthritis is more common in women than men and usually it begins after 40 years.
Symptoms :
Some of the signs of rheumatoid arthritis are swelling of joints in knees and hands. It can cause morning stiffness and the symptoms may improve as time passes. The joints can become tender and warm and for some people it can cause firm lesions or nodules in the tissues under your arms. It can cause extreme tiredness and fatigue.
Initially the joints of the fingers are first affected in rheumatoid arthritis. As the disorder progresses, it affects the joints of knees, elbows and hips. Often, both sides of the body are affected in this disorder. The symptoms of arthritis may range from mild to severe and there are periods or remission and flares. It would cause pain when there is swelling of joints which is called period of flares and if the pain disappear it is the period of remission.
Causes :
Exact reason for rheumatoid arthritis is not known. It is believed to develop due to defect in the immune system which by mistake attacks the soft lining of membranes of the joints leading to inflammation. The portion of synovirum gets thickened destroying the cartilages of bones in the joint which eventually makes the joint weaker causing distortion of shape leading to severe pain.
It is considered to develop due to genetic factor also since what exactly triggers rheumatoid arthritis is still a question. It can occur due to combined influence of environmental and genetic and harmonic factors. Some experts believe that virus or bacteria can cause infection leading to swelling of joints.