Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis as Early as Possible

IMMUNE HEALTH SERIES: Rheumatoid Arthritis.

One of the most chronic forms of arthritis is Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). It is an autoimmune disease, which means that the body's natural defense system attacks the joints. 

Early symptoms of RA include fatigue, joint pain, and stiffness. As it progresses, rheumatoid arthritis symptoms may feel like the flu, with achiness, muscle aches, and loss of appetite.

The exact cause is not known, although it appears to run in some families and tends to effect women (2 to 3 times more than men) especially between the ages 40 to 60.

In this episode Bobbie talks about early and effective rheumatoid arthritis treatment to enable you to improve your prognosis and  help prevent joint and bone destruction associated with RA.  Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis continues throughout your life. It includes medicine, exercise, and lifestyle changes, so getting treatment early may control the condition or keep it from getting worse.  Additionally many of the medicines used to treat rheumatoid arthritis have side effects. So it is important to have regular checkups and talk with your doctor about any problems and find a treatment option that works for you.

Did you know that there are more than 100 types of arthritis?   No matter which type of arthritis you have, you need an accurate diagnosis before your medical provider can recommend a program for treatment.

Next week Bobbie talks about the most well known arthritis - osteoarthritis - that is so common it will affect one in seven people in their lifetime.