Description

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder causing joint inflammation with pain, swelling and stiffness of joints. These 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. In rheumatoid arthritis the immune cells cause inflammation leading to destruction of the joints. It primarily affects joints but can also affect other organs like eyes, skin, lungs, heart etc. If not treated well in time then it progresses and can cause joint deformity and lead to disability. This disease has a strong genetic basis and tends to run in families.