Understanding The Causes And Risk Factors Of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune, inflammatory condition that causes your immune system to erroneously attack the healthy cells, which in turn causes inflammation in the affected region.

While RA primarily affects the joints in our body, it can also have adverse effects on other tissues in the body, which causes problems in a wide range of body systems, such as the lungs, heart, eyes, and blood vessels. Rheumatoid arthritis in the joints can cause the lining of the affected joint to become inflamed and cause serious damage to the surrounding tissue. This damaged tissue can result in chronic pain and bone deformity. It is important that you know the causes of rheumatoid arthritis as well as the risk factors of rheumatoid arthritis to keep yourself safe from it.

So, what are the causes and risk factors of rheumatoid arthritis? Before answering this question, let us first have a look over the symptoms of this condition to understand it better.

Symptoms Of Rheumatoid Arthritis

It's common to have stiff and painful joints in the morning, especially as we age, so most people consider this a normal progression and don't pay attention to any underlying health issues. But joint health issues are not just for seniors!

Following are some symptoms that can help you understand if your joint problems are related to rheumatoid arthritis:

• Stiffness of the joints
• Throbbing and aching pain in the joints
• Swelling and redness of the joints
• Fatigue
• Weight loss
• High temperature
• Profuse sweating

In addition to these symptoms, 40% of people who are affected with rheumatoid arthritis also experience problems with other parts of the body. For example, the affected person may experience dry eyes if the eyes are affected, or they may experience chest pain if the heart or lungs are affected by RA. Moreover, these symptoms can often flare up or even go into remission, so it's important to pay attention to your body.

Causes And Risk Factors Of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Causes Of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Answering the question about the causes of rheumatoid arthritis is a tricky thing. We know that it is an autoimmune condition, so we understand that it is caused by the malfunctioning of our immune system. But we don't know how this malfunctioning triggers.

While the exact cause of this autoimmune response is not known, there are various theories that put the blame on genetics, environmental factors, or microbes. However, none of these theories have been confirmed. That being said, It is safe to say that variants in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system are one of the main culprits for such conditions. HLA is the genetic site responsible for our body's immune response.

Risk Factors Of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Extensive research has been done on the factors that can affect the development of rheumatoid arthritis.

Following are some of the confirmed risk factors of rheumatoid arthritis:

Age: While rheumatoid arthritis can occur at any age, it is more common in the later stages of life. According to research, the appearance of RA is most likely in the sixties.

Gender: Research indicates a direct link between a person's gender and the chance of getting RA, as women are affected by this condition 2-3 times more than men.

Smoking: We know that smoking kills, but does smoking affect your chances of getting RA? Research has shown that smoking cigarettes do indeed increase the risk of rheumatoid arthritis, and it can even aggravate the condition.

Obesity: Obesity is responsible for a lot of health issues, and studies have shown that obesity increases the chances of developing rheumatoid arthritis.

Genetics: Studies also show that there is a strong relation between genetics and the risk of developing RA, asindividuals born with specific genes are more likely to get affected by this condition.

Birth History: One very unique risk factor of rheumatoid arthritis is the history of live births. Research has found that women who've never experienced childbirth have greater chances of developing RA than women who have given birth.

Now that we know the major risk factors that can develop or accelerate rheumatoid arthritis in a person, let's discuss the steps we can take to protect ourselves from it.

How To Protect Yourself From Rheumatoid Arthritis

Unfortunately, there is no way to completely prevent RA from developing, but there are certain practices that can definitely affect its behavior. If you want to minimize the effects of rheumatoid arthritis on your life, then you should work on doing the following:

Stop Smoking: As mentioned in this article earlier, smoking cigarettes is a major risk factor for RA, so stopping smoking is a good way to start your journey towards better health for your joints.

Reinforce Your Bones: Rheumatoid arthritis is often directly related to osteoporosis. RA related to osteoporosis or bone loss can be prevented or slowed down by making your diet calcium-rich and taking necessary supplements to support joint health. Remember to always consult your doctor before using any such supplements!

Limit Alcohol: Alcohol moderation is necessary not only because it can slow down your RA progression but also because the alcohol may not be compatible with the medicine you're taking for the condition.

Maintain a Healthy Weight: Your diet can affect joint health, and maintaining a healthy diet can be your lifesaver when it comes to rheumatoid arthritis.

Exercise: Ask any physician about what to do for better joint health, and the first advice they give you is to exercise. Staying active and doing exercise keeps our joints healthy and can significantly affect the progression of RA.

Conclusion

Rheumatoid arthritis is a progressive disease that escalates in four stages, gradually leading to disabled joints. In this article, we have explained the main symptoms, causes and risk factors of rheumatoid arthritis so that you can adopt a healthy lifestyle that helps you against this condition.

The information provided in this article is just for educational purposes. It is extremely important to consult your healthcare provider at the first signs of RA. Early treatment is pivotal for preventing any serious damage from this condition.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is strictly meant for educational and informational purposes. The statements present therein have not been evaluated by the FDA and hence any advice is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any diseases.

It is always recommended to check with your personal healthcare provider first as they are more qualified to make the best diagnosis and provide appropriate recommendations based on your medical history. The information provided in this article is in no way meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Therefore, always consult with qualified health providers to seek any treatment.

Reference:

https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/rheumatoid-arthritis-stages

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK384458/

https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/rheumatoid-arthritis.html

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/symptoms-causes/

https://www.verywellhealth.com/risk-factors-for-rheumatoid-arthritis-190347

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/causes/

https://www.verywellhealth.com/preventing-rheumatoid-arthritis-5096031