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Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) occurs as a result of your immune system causing
inflammation of the lining of a joint and the tissues surrounding it. RA can occur
at any age, and may be very mild with few symptoms, but for about one in 20
people it affects many joints and can be severe and disabling.

What is rheumatoid arthritis?

Arthritis means inflammation of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an
autoimmune disease. Usually your body's immune system produces white cells
and proteins called antibodies to destroy foreign substances such as viruses and
bacteria. With autoimmune diseases, your immune system mistakes your own
tissue as foreign and attacks it, leading to inflammation.

In RA, your body's immune system attacks the lining of your joints (synovial
membrane). The disease may also cause inflammation of the sheaths around your
tendons. Eventually, this causes thinning of the cartilage that covers the ends of
your bones, and may lead to the bone being worn away.

Symptoms

You will probably find that RA develops quite slowly at first. You may notice
some discomfort in your hands and feet, and your joints may be swollen. It's
possible that you will feel particularly stiff when you get up in the morning. For
some people, the condition comes on quickly and painfully and may make it
difficult for you to carry out your daily activities. You may also feel tired and
generally unwell.

You may develop rheumatoid nodules - fleshy lumps that usually appear on your
hands, feet and elbows. These aren't painful but may mean you have difficulty
using your hands.

RA affects everyone differently and you are likely to find there are times when
your symptoms are worse than at others. It's not usually possible to predict when
these flare-ups will occur.

In general, of people with RA:

two out of 10 will only have very mild symptoms
three-quarters will continue to have flare-ups
one in 20 will develop serious RA, leading to severe disability.

Causes

If you are a woman, you are nearly three times more likely to get RA than a man.
It's common for the symptoms of RA to improve during pregnancy - this suggests
that hormones and the immune system may be involved in triggering the condition.

There seem to be some genes that make it more likely that you will get RA, and
the disease runs in some families.

Certain lifestyle factors may increase your risk, for example, if you smoke or are
obese.

Treatment

Our health professionals will advise you and help you find a balance between
exercise and rest. They will stress the need to keep active to prevent your joints
from becoming weak and stiff.
Complementary therapies such as acupuncture and aromatherapy can't cure
arthritis, but you may find they help to relieve pain and make you feel more
relaxed.

Enhance your experience with a spa-quality therapeutic massage!

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