Rheumatoid arthritis, also known by its acronym AR, is an autoimmune disease that is mainly characterized by inflammation of a series of joints causing malformation in the limbs where it occurs. This disease can cause, in its most advanced phase, great physical limitations to the point of deteriorating the quality of life of those who suffer from it. To know the beginning of this disease, it must be taken into account that its name comes from the Greek root "artr" which means joint and from the suffix itis which is inflammation. It was Alfred Baring Garrod in 1859 who is credited with the term rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis usually manifests itself as severe pain, stiffness, or difficulty in joints, whether large or small. Symptoms appear from the onset of the disease until the evolution of the disorder. However, other symptoms can be added to the existing ones such as fatigue, fever, general malaise, weight loss, among others.
This terrible disease has no cure, that is, there is no treatment to eradicate it, but there are medications that manage to control it or at least in most patients, preventing pain and joint stiffness from appearing, as well as the appearance of deformities..
RA usually occurs more generally in women than in men and tends to appear in the elderly, although it can begin at any stage of life and does not distinguish between sex, race or occupation.
One of the symptoms of arthritis where the person should pay more attention is morning joint stiffness, especially in the hands and feet, since being at rest for so long makes it difficult to move these parts. Similarly, such stiffness can be accompanied by tiredness, fever, and muscle weakness. These symptoms usually appear long before the swelling, warmth, and redness of the joints appear.
Although there is no cure for the disease if there is a treatment and measures to improve the patient's lifestyle. In addition, sometimes surgical interventions are performed that help the patient to live better. It is important that the affected individual strictly follow the instructions given by the specialists who periodically monitor the disease, in order to control the evolution of the disease.
