Rheumatoid arthritis is a common condition faced by many in the country. It is a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects many joints including those in the hand and the feet.  Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the common types of arthritis that affects many individuals.  In this condition, the immune system begins to attack its own tissues in the body; however, in severe cases, it can also attack one’s internal organs. In the initial stages of r heumatoid arthritis , the synovium (lining of the joints) gets attacked, and, if left untreated, it advances to the acute stage. In the acute stage, the immune system can damage the heart, lungs, eye, skin, etc.

Most patients generally experience the adverse effects of this disease in their limbs. Mainly, the joints become stiff and the patient faces difficulties with moving their hands and feet. The American College of Rheumatology suggests that there are around 1.3 million citizens who are affected by this disease. A larger fraction of three-fourths comprises women.

Causes of rheumatoid arthritis
Doctors dealing with patients affected by this disease are still unable to find out the exact causes of r heumatoid arthritis . They have only reported that this disease is caused due to some unusual responses of the immune system.

There are no exact reasons known why the immune system goes haywire and begins attacking the tissues and even organs.

People with a specific kind of genetic marker known as the HLA are more prone to developing r heumatoid arthritis . This genetic marker controls the immune system. There are, however, some more types of genes that are related to r heumatoid arthritis , namely, STAT4, TRAF1, C5, and PTPN22.

• The STAT4 is a gene that plays an important role in the activation and regulation of the immune system.
• Chronic inflammations are related to the TRAF1 and C5 genes.
• PTPN22 is responsible for the onset and progression of the disease.

In some cases, people don’t tend to develop r heumatoid arthritis  even if they have the above gene formations.

There are several other risk factors that are related to the development of r heumatoid arthritis . They are as follows:

• Sex: In most of the cases, women are more prone to develop r heumatoid arthritis .
• Family history: As there are several genes attached to the disease, family history could also be a risk factor. You can develop r heumatoid arthritis  majorly if someone from your family already has it or you are between the age of 40 to 60 years.
• Obesity: If you carry extra weight, you can be more likely to develop r heumatoid arthritis .
• Smoking: You should refrain from smoking to reduce the chances of being affected by r heumatoid arthritis .
• Environmental factors: Exposure to materials such as asbestos, silica, or dust particles can increase the risk of developing r heumatoid arthritis .

Symptoms of r heumatoid arthritis
There are several symptoms that a patient with r heumatoid arthritis  can experience. You should immediately consult a doctor and seek adequate treatment if you start experiencing stiffness in the joints, tenderness and swollen joints, fatigue, and weight loss. In the case of r heumatoid arthritis , you may also experience certain abnormalities in other parts of your body. These include the eyes, lungs, skin, nerve tissue, heart, blood vessels, bone marrow, etc.

Treatments for r heumatoid arthritis
There are some effective treatment options available for r heumatoid arthritis . Medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be of extensive help. As rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disease, d isease-modifying antirheumatic drugs ( DMARDs) can also work well in relieving the symptoms.