Rheumatoid Arthritis Affects The Body

Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a disease that affects areas around joints in the body which can be painful. It can also cause damage to many other parts of the body including the oral cavity. Not only does this disease affect the joints, but it can affect the oral cavity by causing disability and issues relating to the mouth like periodontal disease and dry mouth.
RA is an auto-immune disorder, which means the body’s immune system attacks itself. The synovial membrane becomes inflamed and starts to migrate into the bone and cartilage. The bone is then destroyed and eventually becomes deformed. Patients with RA often have deformed hands and joints due to inflammation of the synovial membrane around the joints. Muscles and …show more content…
This is caused by inflammation around the joints. Symptoms start out in the smaller joints like fingers and toes. As time goes by it starts to affect bigger joints such as knees, elbows, hips and shoulders. At this point, people realize they have a problem. Usually people with RA experience joint stiffness after inactivity or in the mornings. When the body is at rest for so long the joints are not being exercised enough, causing stiffness and pain. Symptoms may come and go or they may stay for a long period of time. They may be either severe or not as severe. It just depends on how often they are eating, how often they exercise, or what kind of medications they are taking. Symptoms can be present in non-joint areas of the body too. RA can cause fever and flu-like symptoms. These can cause loss of appetite, which can cause weight loss. RA can cause dry eyes and dry mouth. Dry eyes are caused by the disease itself, however, dry mouth can be caused by the disease or by the mediations one takes for the disease. Dry mouth can lead to periodontal disease. Symptoms of periodontal disease include red and swollen gums. If someone has RA and has red, swollen gums, that is a sign they could have …show more content…
Vitamin D deficiency can increase risk of developing RA because foods rich in Vitamin D help reduce inflammation. Fish oils and plant oils are rich in Vitamin D and have Omega-3 fatty acids and have lots of antioxidants. Foods included are fruits, vegetables, tuna, crab, and others. Fish oil supplements can also serve the same purpose, but it is always good to eat the real thing. There are some foods that can increase inflammation. Foods rich in Omega-6 fatty acids include corn oils, grilled or fried foods, and snack foods. These foods should be avoided by an RA patient.
Exercising daily is essential for treatment of RA. Stretching the joints out and staying active can play a big role in reducing tenderness and stiffness. Yoga is an exercise that can help stretch out the joints so they are not as tender. Someone with RA should make sure they are not sitting down for a long period of time because that is how the stiffness is brought

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