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Rheumatoid arthritis

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Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) - a chronic systemic inflammatory autoimmune connective tissue disease, mainly affecting the joints of the type of erosive and destructive polyarthritis with the deformation of the joints and the development of ankylosis.

Rheumatoid arthritis — is an autoimmune rheumatic disease of unknown etiology characterized by chronic erosive arthritis (synovitis) and systemic visceral involvement.

Typical joints of the target, stricken with rheumatoid arthritis.

In rheumatoid arthritis the main pathological process occurs in the heart. Joint damage is secondary: arthritis, rheumatism called "volatile" because they are not sharply pronounced, lasts a short time (several days), pass spontaneously, and most importantly - how to jump from one joint to another (elbows, ankles, knees).

Side view of a knee joint.
Side view of a knee joint.

Rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis

Rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis patient does not cause serious difficulties. Rheumatoid arthritis has special features:

  • damage three or more small joints of hands for more than three months
  • suffer symmetrical joints of both hands and / or feet
  • observed stiffness in the affected joints in the morning that during the day gradually passes
A typical deformation of the phalanges of fingers in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

 

Rheumatoid arthritis treatment

Rheumatoid arthritis treatment is a systemic approach to its core. Rheumatoid arthritis treatment treatment consists of several components.

Apply three-stage system of treatment of rheumatoid arthritis:

  1. hospital (rheumatology or therapeutic branch)
  2. rheumatological clinics or GP surgeries
  3. sanatorium

Indications for hospitalization in the rheumatological hospital are:

  • Newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis - to refine the diagnosis, adequate treatment programs for working off the patient
  • Rheumatoid arthritis with moderate to high degree of inflammatory activity
  • Rheumatoid arthritis with systemic manifestations
  • Rheumatoid arthritis with bystroprogressiruyuschim and torpid course (for the selection of an adequate form of treatment)
In the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis eliminating swelling, inflammation, pain, restore range of motion in the ankle and muscle is accelerated by the use of physiotherapy.

Treatment depends on the form of rheumatoid arthritis, the degree of inflammatory activity, stage of disease, rapid progression of rheumatoid arthritis, patient age and comorbidities.

 

Rheumatoid arthritis treatment program

Rheumatoid arthritis treatment program is formed of the following components:

In the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis eliminating swelling, inflammation, pain, restore range of motion in the radiocarpal joint is accelerated by the use of physiotherapy.