Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease, producing damage mediated by cytokines, chemokines, and metalloproteases. Peripheral joints (eg, wrists, metacarpophalangeal joints) are symmetrically inflamed, often resulting in progressive destruction of articular structures, usually accompanied by systemic symptoms. Diagnosis requires specific clinical, laboratory, and radiologic criteria. Treatment involves drugs, physical measures, and sometimes surgery. Drug therapy combines NSAIDs, which help reduce symptoms, and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, which slow disease progression.
The cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis is unknown. It’s likely that rheumatoid arthritis occurs as a result of a complex combination of factors, including your genes, your lifestyle choices, such as smoking, and things in your environment, such as viruses.
If a member of your family has rheumatoid arthritis, you may have an increased risk of the disease. Doctors don’t believe you can directly inherit rheumatoid arthritis. Instead, it’s believed that you can inherit a predisposition to rheumatoid arthritis.