What is rheumatoid arthritis (RA)?

What is rheumatoid arthritis (RA)?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis can also cause inflammation of the tissue around the joints, as well as in other organs in the body. Autoimmune diseases are illnesses that occur when the body's tissues are mistakenly attacked by their own immune system. The immune system contains a complex organization of cells and antibodies designed normally to "seek and destroy" invaders of the body, particularly infections. Patients with autoimmune diseases have antibodies in their blood that target their own body tissues, where they can be associated with inflammation. Because it can affect multiple other organs of the body, rheumatoid arthritis is referred to as a systemic illness and is sometimes called rheumatoid disease.
While rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic illness, meaning it can last for years, patients may experience long periods without symptoms. However, rheumatoid arthritis is typically a progressive illness that has the potential to cause joint destruction and functional disability.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) facts

• Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that can cause chronic inflammation of the joints and other areas of the body.
• Rheumatoid arthritis can affect people of all ages.
• The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is not known.
• Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease, characterized by periods of disease flares and remissions.
• In rheumatoid arthritis, multiple joints are usually, but not always, affected in a symmetrical pattern.
• Chronic inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis can cause permanent joint destruction and deformity.
• Damage to joints can occur early and does not correlate with the severity of symptoms.
• The "rheumatoid factor" is an antibody that can be found in the blood of 80% of people with rheumatoid arthritis.
• There is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis.
• The treatment of rheumatoid arthritis optimally involves a combination of patient education, rest and exercise, joint protection, medications, and occasionally surgery.
• Early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis results in better outcomes.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Diet

Are there any particular foods which should be included or excluded from the diet of an individual suffering from arthritis?

Medical Author: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Medical Editor: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
First, there are many forms of arthritis, each of which differ in the do's and don'ts of diet. So, the answer is that it depends to some degree on the form of arthritis.
People with gouty arthritis should tend to avoid red meats, shellfish, alcohol, fructose (such as from corn syrup in soft drinks, etc.), and dehydration. At the same time, dairy products such as lowfat milk and yogurt, as well as adequate hydration, and cherries are encouraged in people with gout.
People with inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, may benefit by taking the omega-3 fatty acids that are in the oils of fish, particularly salmon. Sometimes minimizing salt intake can reduce swelling in the tissues of the hands and feet that can aggravate inflammatory arthritis.
Both people with psoriatic arthritis and osteoarthritis can benefit from vitamin D supplementation. Those with osteoarthritis also might benefit from the food supplement glucosamine.