|
Newly Diagnosed Fact Sheet
Approximately 2.1 million people in the United
States have rheumatoid arthritis (ROO-ma-toyd-ar-THRY-tis) or RA. While RA is a
serious disease, many people live happy, healthy lives with RA. Here is some
basic information about RA.
What is rheumatoid arthritis?
RA is a common form of arthritis that causes swelling in the joints of the
hands, wrists, elbows and feet. RA can also affect your bones and organs like
your skin, eyes, heart and lungs.
RA usually affects the same joints on both sides
of your body. So, if your left elbow is swollen, your right elbow probably is
swollen, too.
How do you know if you have RA?
RA feels different for different people. If you have the following symptoms for
more than two weeks, you need to contact your doctor.
- The skin around your joints becomes red and
your joints feel warm, swollen, painful and difficult to move.
- You feel sick all over.
- You lose your appetite.
- You run a slight fever.
- You don't have much energy.
You may also develop rheumatoid nodules (ROO-ma-tyod
NAJ-ools). These are lumps that form under the skin, over bony areas like
elbows, feet or the spine.
What causes RA?
No one knows what causes RA. What we do know is that when you have RA, your
immune (im-MYOON) system, which defends the body from illness, is overactive and
causes the joints to swell.
How does my doctor know if I have RA?
To figure out if you have RA, your doctor will ask for:
- Your medical history
- A physical check-up
- Blood tests
- X-rays
How is RA treated?
There is no cure for RA, but treatments for it are better than ever. It is
important to get help early.
You may meet with different health-care workers
to help you manage your RA. One should be a rheumatologist (roo-ma-TALL-o-jist),
who specializes in people with arthritis.
Your doctor probably will give you medications to
help with the pain and swelling, but there are a number of things you can do to
help you feel better, like
- taking your medicine properly
- getting plenty of rest
- exercising
Your medicine probably will be a combination of
prescription and over-the-counter options. Make sure you don't take anything
without your doctor knowing about it.
Your medication will not cure your arthritis, but
it can:
- Relieve pain
- Reduce swelling
- Stop or slow joint damage
- Improve what you can do and how you feel.
You can feel better. Take time to learn more
about rheumatoid arthritis and talk to your doctor. Make sure you follow your
treatment.
|
