Rheumatoid Arthritis (PDF)

JULY HEALTH OBSERVANCE

Health and wellness tips for your work, home and life— brought to you by the insurance and healthcare specialists at M3.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis, one of the differ, but commonly include the conserve energy, as well as following: maintaining range of motion and most common forms of arthritis,  Inflamed joints that feel tender, use of the joints. refers to inflammation of the warm and swollen. Self-care  Both sides of the body being membranes lining the joints. It is The following suggestions can affected at the same time. help improve your health, outlook a systemic disease that affects  Inflamed joints that affect the and pain from rheumatoid wrist and finger joints closest to the entire body, including the arthritis: the hand. Other affected joints  Avoid excess stress on your blood, lungs and heart. can include the neck, shoulders, joints; use larger or stronger elbows, hips, knees, ankles and Causes joints to carry things. feet. The cause of rheumatoid arthritis  Stay close to your  Fatigue, occasional fever and a is unknown, but it is categorized recommended weight to relieve general sense of not feeling as an autoimmune disease, which damaging pressure on hips and well. means the body’s natural immune knees.  Pain and stiffness that lasts for system does not operate as it  Pick, pour or peel – Reach for a more than one hour after should. It attacks healthy joint tasty healthy treat like an waking in the morning or after a tissues, causing inflammation and orange or a tall glass of orange long rest. subsequent joint damage. There juice. Vitamin C and other are several factors that are Treatment antioxidants are important in believed to contribute to this Highly effective drug treatments reducing risk and progression of disease, putting certain people at are available to treat rheumatoid rheumatoid arthritis. higher risk. arthritis, but early treatment is  Start with breakfast – Give up  Genetics or hereditary factors – critical. Current treatment the pastry and grab some fruit, Certain genes in the immune methods focus on relieving pain, fiber and drink a tall glass of system may be involved in reducing inflammation, stopping water instead of coffee. determining whether or not or reducing joint damage and  Get moving – Exercise to help rheumatoid arthritis develops. improving patient function and reduce pain and fatigue,  Environmental factors – well-being. In addition, treatment increase range of movement, Rheumatoid arthritis can be usually involves some and feel better in general. triggered by an infection, like a combination of exercise, rest, virus or bacterium in people joint protection and physical or who have an inherited tendency occupational therapy. Surgery is for the disease. However, it is an option if joints are damaged not a contagious disease. and painful. Overall, a balance of rest and exercise can help Symptoms Rheumatoid arthritis causes inflammation of the joint linings, which leads to pain, swelling, Did You Know...? stiffness and loss of function. It Rheumatoid arthritis affects over 2 million Americans. It is more can also cause inflammation of common in women than in men and, while it usually strikes during tear glands, salivary glands and middle age, can affect people at any stage of their lives. the linings of the heart and lungs. Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis