how does rheumatoid arthritis affect the body?
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Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease, which means that your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body by mistake, causing inflammation (painful swelling) in the affected parts of the body. RA mainly attacks the joints, usually many joints at once.
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Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic systemic disease that affects the joints, connective tissues, muscle, tendons, and fibrous tissue. It tends to strike during the most productive years of adulthood, between the ages of 20 and 40, and is a chronic disabling condition often causing pain and deformity.
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Antibodies that cause the inflammation that comes with RA affect your central nervous system, not just your joints. High inflammation levels can lead to severe fatigue. RA also causes chronic pain. It, too, can leave you feeling worn out by the end of the day.
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Rheumatoid arthritis mainly affects the joints. It can cause problems in any joint in the body, although the small joints in the hands and feet are often the first to be affected.
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One of the more common complications for people with rheumatoid arthritis is eye problems, which can lead to corneal damage and ultimately impact vision if left untreated. Some common eye conditions, like the ones described below, may affect people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
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Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease, which means that your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body by mistake, causing inflammation (painful swelling) in the affected parts of the body.
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Many joints affected (polyarthritis) Usually, but not always, rheumatoid arthritis affects many joints. Classically, RA affects the small joints of the hands and wrists and balls of the feet. Also, not uncommonly, knees, elbows, hips, ankles, and shoulders can be inflamed.
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RA affects your joint lining and can cause joint swelling as well. It can cause erosion of your shoulder bones and deformity of your shoulder joints over time. You're not alone, even if living with rheumatoid arthritis makes it seem that way.
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Rheumatoid vasculitis can affect blood vessels in many parts of your body. For this reason, it can cause many different symptoms. It most often damages blood vessels to the skin, fingers and toes, nerves, eyes, and heart. This reduces blood flow to these areas and damages them.
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Rheumatoid arthritis can affect the ankle joints in a similar way to other joints, causing stiffness, swelling, and pain. Most often, rheumatoid arthritis or RA affects the hands and feet, but, less commonly, it can also affect the ankles.
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Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease of the immune system. This is the system that protects you from infection. RA may cause pain and stiffness in your shoulder where the humerus (the bone of the upper arm) meets the shoulder socket. It can also affect the joint where your clavicle meets your scapula.
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It can cause problems in any joint in the body, although the small joints in the hands and feet are often the first to be affected. Rheumatoid arthritis typically affects the joints symmetrically (both sides of the body at the same time and to the same extent), but this is not always the case.
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Rheumatoid arthritis develops when the immune system produces antibodies that attach to the linings of joints. Immune system cells then attack the joints, causing inflammation, swelling, and pain. If untreated, rheumatoid arthritis causes gradually causes permanent joint damage.
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Rheumatoid arthritis causes joint pain and swelling, reduced mobility and physical weakness. General tiredness, trouble sleeping and exhaustion are other common symptoms. All of these symptoms can greatly affect your everyday life and overall wellbeing.
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Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when your immune system attacks the synovium — the lining of the membranes that surround your joints. The resulting inflammation thickens the synovium, which can eventually destroy the cartilage and bone within the joint.
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Rheumatoid arthritis vs. osteoarthritis Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when your immune system attacks the synovium — the lining of the membranes that surround your joints. The resulting inflammation thickens the synovium, which can eventually destroy the cartilage and bone within the joint.
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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can affect any joint in your body, including those in your hands and fingers. You may have: Hand pain, finger pain, swelling, and stiffness. Hand joints and finger joints that are warm and tender to the touch.