rheumatoid arthritis

A. What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

What is rheumatoid arthritis? Dr. Baumgartner 4 minutes, 46 seconds September 1, 1999

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a disease that affects 1 in 100 people. The main symptom of rheumatoid arthritis is inflammation at the joints. It affects the joint membranes, cartilage and bones the way osteoarthritis does. This type of arthritis differs from the type that affects older folks because it is an inflammatory disease, not the wear-and-tear type. The joints swell, become stiff, and become very sore. Rheumatoid arthritis is different than healthy body responses in that the inflammatory response starts for unknown reasons and does not go away. The continual inflammation can cause harm to the body. Unlike osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis can affect the whole body.

B. Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Causes of rheumatoid arthritis are unknown. There is a genetic predisposition is some people, but the element that triggers this genetic predisposition is also unknown. It may be caused by the immune system turning against the body. Once people develop rheumatoid arthritis it progresses and often becomes a life-long disease.

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