How Is Rheumatoid Arthritis Different From Other Arthritis
WHAT IS ARTHRITIS?
Arthritis is a term that refers to a group of conditions that cause joint pain and disease. Arthritis can affect anyone no matter the age, race, or sex. It is a common misbelief that arthritis is an age-related condition but this is false. Some forms of arthritis are more common in older adults but even those can affect younger individuals.
Arthritis can cause swelling, pain, stiffness, and reduced range of movement in the joints. Any joint can be affected by arthritic conditions and can severely impact simple daily activities. Arthritis is a dysfunction of the joints.
WHAT IS RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS?
Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common form of arthritis caused by immune dysfunction. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the immune system attacks the tissues in the joints. RA is not a wear-and-tear type of arthritis. Joint tissue swells regardless of activity level or any other outside influence. This may lead to deformity of the joints and deterioration of the bones. Since RA is an autoimmune syndrome, the condition can also affect other areas of the body including the skin, eyes, lungs, and heart. Anywhere that the antibodies of RA can find a matching structure, you will see the disease.
RA most commonly affects the smaller joints of the body like the fingers and toes before spreading to larger joints like the wrist, ankles, knees, and hips. As with almost all of medicine, this is not a hard and fast rule. RA might also affect the ankles or shoulders or knees first.
Symptoms of RA compared to other forms of arthritis like osteoarthritis are very similar with the difference being the cause of the arthritis joint pain. For example, osteoarthritis is a degenerative non-inflammatory form of arthritis caused by wear and tear over someone’s lifetime. Wear-and-tear triggered arthritis will typically start off isolated in one joint while rheumatoid arthritis will affect several joints at once.
HOW TO MANAGE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
The most common forms of treatment pathways for RA include over-the-counter NSAIDs, prescription corticosteroids like prednisone, anti-rheumatic drugs like methotrexate, and biologic agents to block specific immune responses. In fact, one of the biggest drug blockbusters of all time is Humira. This drug has earned AbbVie about $200 billion since 2016. Humira had revenue of $20.7billion in 2021, while Pfizer’s Lipitor makes about $13billion annually.
There are surgical options for RA if other methods do not relieve the condition. In RA surgery, inflamed tissues are removed to reduce pain, prevent further deterioration, and reduce the visual appearance of rheumatoid nodules. A replacement of a joint is considered the most common and reliable way to treat arthritis from an inflammatory autoimmune disorder.
Natural anti-inflammatory supplements are also a great option to help manage RA symptoms. There is an abundant amount of literature to support the use of natural methods to help manage symptoms of such a disorder.
Highly absorbable & unique formulation with clinically studied ingredients to improve joint health, decrease joint discomfort, reduce pain, elevate brain health, and boost energy levels.
Tart cherries are flavonoid-rich, which helps to protect the body from taking on damage from free radicals. Daily supplementation can help to promote healthy joint tissue and alleviate painful symptoms of inflammatory conditions.
Omega-3s inhibit the expression of COX-2 enzymes by reducing the number of the precursor molecule for this enzyme (that would be Omega 6s). COX-2 enzymes are pro-inflammatory and increase pain signals throughout the body. NSAIDs are the most popular COX-2 inhibitors; however, they can have serious side effects when taken long-term.
PEA is a natural anti-inflammatory and pain reliever. It has been shown safe to use up to 1200 mg a day to relieve minor aches and discomfort, without the side effects of over-the-counter pain relievers. Your body naturally produces PEA on-demand in response to pain, discomfort, and swelling – to reduce damage from pain and inflammation over time.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Meredith Warner is the creator of Well Theory and The Healing Sole. She is a board-certified Orthopedic Surgeon and Air Force Veteran.
She is on a mission to disrupt traditional medicine practices and promote betterment physically, spiritually and mentally to many more people. She advocates for wellness and functional health over big pharma so more people can age vibrantly with more function and less pain.
At Well Theory, Our surgeon-designed products are FDA Registered and formulated to help people:
- Manage the symptoms of musculoskeletal pain
- Recover vibrantly from orthopedic related surgeries
- Fill the gaps in our daily diets
- Manage pain associated with inflammation