Rheumatoid Arthritis essays

Rheumatoid Arthritis essays Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. Rheumatoid arthritis can cause redness and swelling of the joints, tissue around the joints such as the tendons, ligaments, and muscles, and other organs in the body. Autoimmune diseases are any of a large group of diseases characterized by abnormal functioning of the immune system that causes it to produce antibodies against your own tissues (www.dictionary.com). Patients with these diseases have antibodies in their blood which target their own body tissues. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic illness, meaning it can last for years. People who have Rheumatoid arthritis may experience long time spans without noticing any symptoms. Rheumatoid arthritis is also called rheumatoid disease because it can affect more than one organ of the body. In some people with rheumatoid arthritis, chronic inflammation of the joint can lead to the destruction of cartilage, bones, and ligaments, which can cause deformities in the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is a common rheumatic disease, affecting more than two million people in the United States. It is three times more common to be found in women than men. It can be found at any age, but is usually found between ages of twenty and forty. This disease can also happen to multiple members of a family, tests are currently being conducted to see if genetics can be traced to this autoimmune disease. The cause of this autoimmune disease is still unknown. Rheumatoid arthritis is a huge thing being researched today. This autoimmune disease also follows a symmetrical pattern meaning it usually affects the same area on both sides of the body. So far there is no known cure for this, pain killers are the main thing used by people with this disease. ...