1. Rheumatoid Arthritis is an Autoimmune Disease
Rheumatoid arthritis is caused when the body's immune system starts to recognize the linings of one or more joints as foreign invaders and starts to attack them. Scientists are not sure what, exactly, causes the immune system to react this way, which is why treatment currently revolves around reducing symptoms rather than curing the condition. Because rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition, it can affect the entire body in various ways. Fatigue, low-grade fevers, muscle aches, inflammation of the eyes and anemia are all common side effects of rheumatoid arthritis.
2. Children Can Get Rheumatoid Arthritis
Arthritis is often thought of as a condition that elderly people get, but even children can come down with rheumatoid arthritis. In some cases, it has been known to appear in infants of less than a year old. When this condition occurs in children under the age of 16, it is called juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and it often takes a slightly different course than the adult version of the disease. Children with arthritis often have fewer than five joints that are affected and may experience permanent remission as adults. Further, children with arthritis test negative for the rheumatoid factor, an antibody present in the blood of 80 percent of adults with the condition.
3. Be Aware of the Physical Appearance of Joints
In people with rheumatoid arthritis, the joints will become visibly swollen and may also become red with underlying inflammation. Joints will be warm or hot to the touch, and small nodules may appear beneath the skin near smaller joints, such as the fingers and wrists. As the disease progresses and more and more cartilage is destroyed, the joints may become deformed. It is not uncommon for people who have had rheumatoid arthritis for many years to have one or more joints that they can not bend or straighten all the way. Severe deformities may be correctable with joint-replacement surgery in some cases.
