Rheumatoid Arthritis
As anyone who suffers from Rheumatoid Arthritis knows, it can be a debilitating disease where your joints become stiff, swollen and painful. Mainly effecting hands in wrists and knuckles it can also develop in your knees, neck (cervical spine), shoulders and other joints in the body.
Because the exact causes Rheumatoid Arthritis are unknown, researchers are still working on finding what specifically triggers the disease. What can be said is that whatever triggers the disease causes your immune system to attack itself. More specifically it’s where your own antibodies attack the linings of your joints.
There are a number of possible factors that point to triggering this disease, ranging from “lifestyle” triggers like environmental factors (allergic reactions), genetic hereditary and even hormonal imbalances.
Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis can come in various forms from Medication, Physiotherapy, Complementary and Alternative therapies and as a last resort Surgery.
Medication ranges from pain management by using pain killers like Paracetamol and Codeine, steroids treatments (e.g. Corticosteroids) , non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) to name a few.
With all medication, there is always an element of risk. Some of the side effects can add other different levels of discomfort in addition to treating the disease. But the final aim of drug-therapy is to reduce and eliminate the disease.
Surgery is always the last resort, it is an extreme approach to “curing” this disease. Surgery ranges from corrective had surgery on tendons to relieve pressure on nerves, allow finger to straighten or even the removal of inflamed tissue.
With other joints there is the option of removing affected tissue from the joint to part or full joint replacement for knee, hip or shoulders.
Other less invasive treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis like Physiotherapy target improving your mobility by working on strengthening muscles and improving your fitness. This aids your body to support it’s self and make your joints more supple and flexible.
One of the most contentious treatments is that from “complementary” therapies like homeopathy that have no scientific or medial proof of being effective other than a possible placebo effect.
Other Complementary therapies include:
- acupuncture
- Alexander technique
- aromatherapy
- chiropractic
- hydrotherapy
- massage
- meditation
- osteopathy
- tai chi
- yoga
