“Creak, Crack, Ouch! The RA Soundtrack Nobody Asked For! “
Welcome to the intriguing realm of Rheumatoid Arthritis, where joints throw tantrums and stiffness is the ultimate party crasher.
RA is more than just joint pain; it’s a powerful immune system mix-up that causes the body to attack itself, leading to chronic inflammation and long-term damage if left undiagnosed.
In this blog, we’ll unravel the chaos behind RA:—what causes it, how it affects the body, and how you can fight back with homoeopathy and take control of your health.
So what is Rheumatoid Arthritis ?
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is not just about achy joints, its a symphony of inflammation, stiffness and unpredictability.
The symptoms usually begin from small joints of hands or feet and can later affect other large joints too. It tends to involve multiple joints at a time and in a symmetrical way.
It is an autoimmune disorder , which means that the body’s own defence cells start to destroy own healthy tissues. The immune cells attack the synovial lining of the synovial membranes surrounding the joints and cause its inflammation and thickening. It may further lead to destruction of cartilage and bone. If not treated well in time then it progresses and can cause joint deformity and lead to disability.
Signs and Symptoms :
– Pain in joints
– Swelling in joints
– Stiffness of joints, specially in the morning lasting for more than 1 hour
– Joints are involved in symmetrical manner
– Affected joint is red, warm and tender to touch in flare up phase.
– Loss of joint function, mobility and deformity appear in later stages if not treated well in time.
– Symptoms initially start from small joints of hands or feet and may progress to other joints like wrist, elbow, shoulder, knee, hip and ankle.- General signs and symptoms that may be present along with joint involvement include weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss, fever, muscle aches, depression and anaemia.
JOINT DEFORMITIES:
1. Swan neck deformity
2. Boutonniere deformity
3. Ulnar deviation
EXTRA- ARTICULAR MANIFESTATIONS :
RA can affect other organs and systems, including the lungs ( lung inflammation, nodules), heart (increased risk of heart attack and stroke), eyes (dry eyes), blood vessels (vasculitis).
CAUSES OF RA AND RISK FACTORS:
The exact cause behind RA is not clearly understood, however an interplay between genetic susceptibility ( people having certain genes, human leucocyte antigen HLA-DR1 and HLA- DR4 are susceptible to this disease ) and environmental factors (such as smoking ) are thought to trigger the autoimmune process here.
The factors that put a person at risk of this include:
– Family history of this disease
– Smoking
– Obesity
– Stress
– History of viral infections like Epstein- Barr virus
– Females are more prone as compared to males.
Investigations:
Blood tests done in cases of suspected cases are:
> Rheumatoid Factor > Anti- cyclic citrullinated peptide(anti-ccp)
> ESR > C- reactive protein (CRP)
Other tests include X-Ray and MRI of the affected joints to rule out the severity of the disease.
TYPES OF RA:
1. Seropositive: in this type persons with RA have their blood tests positive for rheumatoid factor or anti-CCP
2. Seronegative : in this type persons with RA have their blood tests negative for rheumatoid factor or anti-CCP. In such cases diagnoses is done on the basis of clinical symptoms and x-rays.
3. Juvenile RA: is when RA affects children younger than 17 years of age.
4. Palindromic Rheumatism: in this recurrence attacks of pain, swelling appears in one or more joints all of a sudden. It lasts for few hours or days. In between the flare ups the pain and swelling subsides completely . This is not a type of RA but people having palindromic rheumatism have chance to develop RA.
DIET AND EXERCISE:
The right food choices can help by controlling the inflammation that wreaks havoc in the body, delivering nutrients your body needs and helping you maintain a healthy weight.
Regular exercises in form of walking, swimming and yoga can help to reduce pain, stiffness and improve joint mobility .
Unveiling the role of Homoeopathy in tackling Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA):
Conventional treatments often focus on suppressing symptoms , but what if we could address the root causes while nurturing the body’s innate healing abilities? This is where homoeopathy steps in.
Homoeopathic medicines help to reduce inflammation of the joints by moderating the immune system. They not all relieve pain, swelling and stiffness but also improves joint health and slows down further progression of the disease .
Homoeopathy treats arthritis on the basis of what makes the individual and his or her complaints unique – such as the nature of the joints symptoms, personality, sensitivities and emotions.
While the path maybe winding and full of challenges, Homoeopathy offers a unique perspective in managing RA, embracing holistic principles to support individuals in their quest for relief and well being.
“Because even if your joints creak, your comeback can still roar.”