Seropositive rheumatoid arthritis belongs to the category of chronic diseases of the connective tissue of the joints of the upper and lower extremities. The etiology of this disease is not exactly clear. Based on the results of clinical observations, it was established that seropositive rheumatoid arthritis is of autoimmune origin. For unknown reasons, the body begins to produce antibodies that destroy cartilage and cause active growth of bone tissue.
Seropositive rheumatoid arthritis can develop over several months or last for decades. But regardless of the speed of the disease, pathological changes in the joints occur in the same way. In the absence of qualified medical care, seropositive arthritis leads to complete immobility of the limb and disability. In especially severe cases, when the disease affects the arms and legs, the person cannot perform basic actions. Let's look at what it is, how the disease manifests itself and develops, and its varieties. Knowledge of the main signs of the disease will allow you to begin its treatment in the early stages with a positive prognosis.
Seropositive and rheumatoid arthritis practically do not manifest themselves in any way at the initial stages. Mild pain in the limbs can easily be mistaken for the consequences of sudden movements, bruises or fatigue. A slight malaise is attributed to a cold or poor ecology. However, this disease develops, destroying healthy tissue and complicating subsequent treatment. As a rule, patients begin to experience anxiety after 2-3 months, when it becomes clear that something is clearly wrong with the joints. Even at this stage, rheumatic syndrome can be stopped by stopping the progression of the disease.
The disease can be detected at the earliest stage using a blood test. It shows the presence of rheumatoid factor in the serum. But in most cases, patients seek medical help when seropositive rheumatoid polyarthritis has already developed to stage 2, and the mobility of the limbs is significantly limited. Some patients reach the point where the pathological processes become irreversible, and medicine is powerless to do anything.
Seronegative rheumatoid arthritis is more difficult to identify. Its main difference from the seropositive form is that when a blood test is performed, it does not contain autoimmune antibodies, the presence of which indicates the development of the disease. Seronegative rheumatoid polyarthritis affects the joints asymmetrically. Symptoms of the disease may appear randomly on the arms and legs. Such symptoms can be mistaken for gout or a common sprain. This greatly complicates diagnosis and prognosis.
Seronegative arthritis is more difficult to treat due to its unpredictability. Manifestations of the disease are less vivid and painful. Already at stage 2 of the disease, significant jumps in body temperature within 2 - 3? C are observed. In this case, there are no characteristic manifestations of arthritis (osteophytes, swelling and deformation of the joints).
Modern medicine cannot give a clear answer to the question about the exact cause of the disease. However, based on the results of clinical observations, a group of factors contributing to its development has been identified.
Both seropositive and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis can occur for the following reasons:
Scientists do not exclude the theory that damage to rheumatoid arthritis may be a consequence of incorrect treatment of an infectious disease or its complication.
The initial manifestations of the disease can easily be mistaken for fatigue after work or the body’s reaction to a long stay in a stationary position.
Common primary symptoms for all forms of rheumatoid arthritis are the following:
Signs of illness, such as swelling of the soft tissue around the joints, may not appear. This leads to the fact that the seronegative form of arthritis is detected in the later stages, when it is almost impossible to cure.
The progression of the disease can be roughly divided into several stages, since it is quite difficult to correctly determine the exact line between them.
There is the following classification of stages of disease development:
In the case of intensive treatment of 2 or more joints with NSAIDs, extensive damage to internal organs is observed as a side effect of the use of potent drugs.
In order to accurately determine what, how and how to treat the patient, a comprehensive examination is carried out. It begins with interviewing the patient and examining him. At this stage, the attending physician examines the visual signs of the disease, clarifies the history of its course, possible causes and main symptoms.
For a more accurate diagnosis, X-ray examinations or magnetic resonance imaging are prescribed. Blood and synovial fluid are taken for analysis. To clarify data on the presence or absence of malignant tumors, samples of the affected tissue are sent for histology.
Treatment for seropositive rheumatoid arthritis involves long-term and comprehensive treatment. In order for it to be most effective, the patient is examined by specialized specialists.
Treatment of the disease is aimed at stopping the pathological processes of joint deformation and maintaining their mobility. The influence on the disease is carried out in several ways at once to achieve the desired result.
The basis of treatment is drug therapy. First of all, medications are prescribed to relieve pain and inflammation from the affected joint. The prescription is made by a specialist, the medications are taken under the supervision of medical personnel. If the desired effect cannot be achieved with their help, then the patient is recommended to take corticosteroids. Medicines in this group belong to the hormonal group; they are good against inflammation. In order to have a comprehensive effect on the source of inflammation, drugs are prescribed in the form of:
Self-medication of rheumatoid arthritis is unacceptable.
To prevent joint immobility, the patient is recommended to do gymnastics. Exercise helps improve blood circulation and metabolism. As a rule, the exercises are simple and do not take much time. They consist of making circular movements of the limbs, flexion and extension without load. Physical activity is supplemented by physiotherapeutic procedures. They contribute to:
A good therapeutic effect is provided by: electrophoresis, acupuncture, magnetic field and mud baths. The patient needs to adhere to a diet.
With this disease, mainly small joints are affected - arthritis develops, leading to persistent deformation of the joints and disruption of their function. Most often, this disease begins at the age of 35-50 years. Research in recent years suggests a genetic predisposition to rheumatoid arthritis.
The causes of rheumatoid arthritis are still unknown. It is known that the basis of pathological changes is autoimmune damage to the connective tissue of the joint lining. However, what triggers the immune response remains unclear.
The most characteristic manifestation is polyarthritis, i.e. inflammation of several joints at once. As a rule, symmetrical bilateral damage to the joints of one or more groups develops - the joints of the hands, feet, wrists, knees, and intervertebral joints of the neck are involved. Pain on palpation, swelling, stiffness, and increased skin temperature over the joint are noted. Stiffness in joint movements is often observed, especially pronounced after prolonged rest. Morning stiffness for more than 1 hour almost always indicates arthritis. The disease is characterized by an undulating course with periods of exacerbation and remission. As it progresses, joint deformities develop, associated with partial destruction of articular cartilage, stretching of the tendons and joint capsule.
In most patients, rheumatoid arthritis begins gradually, manifesting itself with fatigue, weakness, decreased appetite, weight loss and other nonspecific symptoms.
If rheumatoid arthritis is suspected, the doctor conducts a detailed questioning and examination of the patient, after which he prescribes additional research methods, such as a general and biochemical blood test, determination of the content of rheumatoid factor in the blood, radiography of the affected joints, etc. With rheumatoid arthritis, signs of inflammation are detected in the blood and increased levels of rheumatoid factor.
Unfortunately, an average of 9 months passes from the onset of the disease to diagnosis. The reason for such a delay is often the nonspecificity of the early manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis.
Many patients do not pay attention to the changes in the joints for a long time, considering them to be normal age-related processes associated with aging. This position is erroneous. If these symptoms appear, you should contact your GP as soon as possible. A rheumatologist treats patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis cannot be completely cured. Modern treatment methods are aimed at reducing inflammation, pain relief, improving and maintaining joint function and preventing disability in patients. Relief of inflammation and pain relief in the acute period is achieved by using various anti-inflammatory drugs. Basic therapy includes immunosuppressants and cytotoxic drugs, which can help the patient go into remission, slow down the progression of the disease and joint destruction. Surgical treatment is used if it is necessary to correct severe joint deformities. Optimal treatment includes not only drug therapy, but also exercise therapy, lifestyle changes and other measures.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease of unknown etiology with widespread damage to connective tissue, mainly in the joints, with erosive changes in them, with a chronic, often relapsing and progressive course. The trigger can be an infection, a cold, or an injury.
The pathological process leads to complete destruction of articular tissues, gross deformations and the development of ankylosis, which leads to loss of joint function and disability.
In severe cases, internal organs (heart, kidneys, lungs, blood vessels, muscles, etc.) can also be affected, which significantly worsens the prognosis for rheumatoid arthritis. We will discuss the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment methods in detail in this article.
The prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis among the adult population of various climatic and geographical zones averages 0.6 - 1.3%. The annual incidence over the past decade has remained at 0.02%.
An increase in rheumatoid arthritis with age has been noted; women are more often affected than men. Among people under 35 years of age, the prevalence of the disease is 0.38%, in people aged 55 years and older - 1.4%. A high incidence of the disease was detected in first-degree relatives of patients (3.5%), especially in females (5.1%).
Why does rheumatoid arthritis occur and what is it? Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, that is, a disease that occurs when the normal functioning of the immune system is disrupted. As with most autoimmune pathologies, the exact cause of the disease has not been identified.
It is believed that the provoking factors for the occurrence of the disease are:
Under the influence of these factors, cells of the immune system begin to attack the cells of the joint lining, which causes inflammation in them. This process causes the joints to become swollen, warm, and painful to the touch. Cells of the immune system also cause damage to blood vessels, which explains the so-called extra-articular symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (Still's disease) is an inflammatory disease of the joints, it is characterized by a progressive course with a fairly rapid involvement of internal organs in the process. This disease occurs in 5-15 people per 100,000 children.
The disease occurs in children under 16 years of age and can last for many years. The appearance of the disease can be the result of various influences - viral and bacterial influences, cooling, medications, increased sensitivity to certain environmental factors and many others.
Rheumatoid arthritis can begin acutely and subacutely, with the latter type of onset observed in most cases.
The first signs of RA:
As a rule, such manifestations of the disease remain unattended, and then articular syndrome and extra-articular manifestations of the disease develop.
In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, when studying the patient’s complaints, special attention is paid to the following symptoms:
A patient with rheumatoid arthritis may also have other symptoms:
Upon palpation you can detect: an increase in skin temperature over the surface of the joints; soreness of the affected joints; “lateral compression” symptom; muscle atrophy and skin thickening; subcutaneous formations in the joint area, most often the elbow, so-called rheumatoid nodules; Patellar balloting symptom to determine the presence of fluid in the knee joint.
Depending on clinical and laboratory data, there are 3 degrees of exacerbation of RA:
In RA, peripheral joints are primarily affected, but we must not forget that this is a systemic disease, and any organs and tissues where connective tissue is present can be involved in the pathological process.
The development of extra-articular (systemic) manifestations is more typical for the seropositive form of rheumatoid arthritis with a severe long-term course.
The presence of rheumatoid vasculitis, which occurs in 10-20% of cases.
The most severe course of rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by forms that occur with lymphadenopathy, damage to the gastrointestinal tract (enetritis, colitis, amyloidosis of the rectal mucosa), nervous system (neuropathy, polyneuritis, functional autonomic disorders), involvement of the respiratory system (pleurisy, diffuse fibrosis, pneumonitis, fibrosing alveolitis , bronchiolitis), kidneys (glomerulonephritis, amyloidosis), eyes.
On the part of the great vessels and the heart, endocarditis, pericarditis, myocarditis, arteritis of the coronary vessels, and granulomatous aortitis may occur in rheumatoid arthritis.
Unlike rheumatism, with rheumatoid arthritis the inflammation is persistent - pain and swelling of the joints can last for years. This type of arthritis differs from arthrosis in that the pain does not increase with load, but, on the contrary, decreases after active movements.
American Rheumatological Association Diagnostic Criteria for Rheumatoid Arthritis (1987). The presence of at least 4 of the following signs may indicate the presence of the disease:
A blood test shows the presence of inflammation in the body: the appearance of special inflammatory proteins - seromucoid, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, and rheumatoid factor.
Making a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is possible only by assessing the entire set of symptoms, radiological signs and laboratory diagnostic results. If the result is positive, treatment is prescribed.
In case of accurate diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, systemic treatment involves the use of certain groups of drugs:
At the present stage of development of medicine, the following goals are set in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis:
Treatment consists of a complex of methods of drug therapy, physiotherapy, nutritional therapy, surgical treatment, sanatorium treatment and subsequent rehabilitation.
This group of drugs is not included in the basic therapy of rheumatoid arthritis, since it does not affect the destructive process in the joints. However, drugs from this group are prescribed to reduce pain and eliminate stiffness.
Most often used:
Prescribed during periods of exacerbation of pain and severe stiffness. Prescribed with caution to patients with gastritis.
In combination with hormones, they help reduce the activity of rheumatoid arthritis. The most common drugs for treatment currently are:
There are also reserve drugs: cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, cyclosporine - they are used when the main drugs do not give the desired effect.
Monoclonal antibodies to certain cytokines neutralize tumor necrosis factor, which in the case of rheumatoid arthritis provokes damage to its own tissues.
There are also studies suggesting the use of lymphocyte differentiation regulators as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. This will avoid damage to the synovial membranes by T-lymphocytes, which are incorrectly “directed” to the joints by the immune system.
These are hormonal drugs:
They are prescribed both in the presence of systemic manifestations of the disease and in their absence. Today, in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, treatment is practiced with both small and large doses of hormones (pulse therapy). Corticosteroids are excellent for pain relief.
According to reviews, methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis is actively prescribed in Russia and European countries. This is a drug that inhibits cells of the immune system, prevents the occurrence of inflammatory processes in the joints and aggravates the course of the disease. Now it is used very widely.
The drug has several side effects, so it is used under the close supervision of the attending physician; during the course of treatment, the patient must regularly undergo blood tests. Despite this, methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis is the most appropriate solution, and in some cases it is simply irreplaceable.
The price of the drug varies depending on the form of release in the range from 200 to 1000 rubles.
Only after the acute form of the disease has been relieved, blood tests and temperature are normalized - massage and other methods of physiotherapy for rheumatoid arthritis can be used. The fact is that physiotherapy has a stimulating effect and can intensify the inflammatory process.
These methods improve blood supply to the joints, increase their mobility, and reduce deformation. Phonophoresis, diathermy, UHF, ozokerite and paraffin, infrared irradiation, therapeutic mud, and balneotherapy at resorts are used. We will not dwell on these methods in detail.
Surgery can improve the health situation in the relatively early stages of the disease if one large joint (knee or wrist) is persistently inflamed. This surgery (synovectomy) removes the synovial lining of the joint, resulting in long-term relief of symptoms.
Joint replacement surgery is performed for patients with more severe joint damage. The most successful operations are on the hips and knees.
Surgical intervention has the following goals:
Rheumatoid arthritis is primarily a medical problem. Therefore, surgery is reserved for those who are under the supervision of an experienced rheumatologist or doctor.
For rheumatoid arthritis, a special diet is recommended that will reduce inflammation and correct metabolic disorders.
The rules of the diet are as follows:
Treatment with folk remedies involves the use of medicinal plants that have analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
At home, you can make compresses, rub in homemade ointments, and prepare decoctions. It is important to follow the correct eating style, which helps restore metabolism in the body.
Prevention of the disease and its exacerbations is aimed, first of all, at eliminating risk factors (stress, smoking, toxins), normalizing body weight and maintaining a balanced diet.
Compliance with these rules will help avoid disability and prevent the rapid progression of RA.
Rheumatoid arthritis shortens life expectancy by an average of 3 to 12 years. A 2005 study by the Mayo Clinic found that the risk of heart disease is twice as high in those with rheumatoid arthritis, regardless of other risk factors such as diabetes, alcoholism, high cholesterol and obesity.
The mechanism by which the risk of heart disease increases is unknown; the presence of chronic inflammation is considered a significant factor. It is possible that the use of new biological drugs can increase life expectancy and reduce risks for the cardiovascular system, as well as slow down the development of atherosclerosis.
Limited studies demonstrate a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease, while an increase in total cholesterol levels is observed while the atherogenic index remains unchanged.
Some diseases are caused by a hereditary predisposition, but some predisposing factors are required to activate the pathological process. One such disease is rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a connective tissue disease that develops in individuals with a genetic predisposition after exposure to certain provoking factors. The disease most often occurs in women over 40 years of age and is characterized by the development of irreversible degenerative and inflammatory processes in small joints, as a result of which their normal functioning is disrupted.
Rheumatoid arthritis can be seropositive (occurs in most cases) or seronegative. In the first case, rheumatoid factor is present in the patient’s blood, and the disease develops gradually.
When seronegative RA is detected, rheumatoid factor is absent, the clinical picture of the disease develops quickly, beginning with inflammation of the joints of the wrist or knee joint.
According to ICD 10, rheumatoid arthritis is designated M05 (seropositive), M06 (seronegative) and M08 (juvenile) - a detailed table of codes is at the end of the article.
Rheumatoid arthritis is often confused with arthrosis or regular arthritis. These are completely different diseases, although in both cases there is damage to the joints, the difference between rheumatoid arthritis and arthritis can be seen in the table:
How does the pathological process proceed?
The pathological process develops as a result of exposure to any factors on the body, against the background of which the immune system begins to produce antibodies that destroy joint tissue
Degenerative processes in the joint occur as a result of long-term disruption of its blood supply.
Age at which the disease most often occurs
Occurs at any age
In most cases, it occurs in older people, especially those who have subjected their joints to intense stress.
Develops on its own
Past infectious diseases.
Increased load on the joint;
Hypothermia of the extremities against the background of which an inflammatory process develops;
Poor circulation in the joints.
Pain syndrome that increases with joint loads;
Local hyperthermia, swelling over the joint.
Pain in the joint during exercise, which subsides at rest and intensifies when weather conditions change. When the joint moves, a crunching and clicking sound is heard.
Laboratory diagnostic indicators
Rheumatic tests reveal the presence of an inflammatory process in the joints
There are no deviations from the norm
Anti-inflammatory drugs do not cure the disease completely, but somewhat reduce the clinical manifestations
Anti-inflammatory drugs relieve pain.
If the integrity of the cartilage in the joint is not compromised, chondroprotectors are prescribed.
The development of rheumatoid arthritis can be caused by numerous factors, the most common of which are:
Most often, rheumatoid arthritis develops in the cold season; the provoking factor can be hypothermia, viral or infectious diseases, surgery, or food allergies.
At the initial stage of development, the disease may not manifest itself in a pronounced clinical manner; a patient with rheumatoid arthritis is concerned about general symptoms:
As the pathological process progresses, pain in the joint area is added, which is aching, periodic, and constant.
After the slightest physical exertion or during treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs, the pain syndrome intensifies, and symmetrical damage to small joints appears.
The inflammatory process in rheumatoid arthritis of the joints is accompanied by fever, lethargy of the patient, general weakness, and muscle pain.
A characteristic sign of rheumatoid arthritis in the hands is the appearance of stiffness in the morning, mainly after sleep. The patient cannot perform the usual actions with his fingers; they seem to not obey.
Attempts to move the fingers are accompanied by increased pain, which goes away after about 40 minutes. Morning stiffness is due to the fact that during the night pathological fluid accumulates in the area of joints affected by degenerative and inflammatory processes, which prevents full movements.
As the pathological process progresses, the patient develops visible deformations of the limbs - “walrus flippers”, spindle-shaped fingers and a swan neck. The first signs of rheumatoid arthritis include other joint lesions:
In addition to joint lesions, signs of rheumatoid arthritis are other manifestations:
The first symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis of the fingers, photo
In most cases, rheumatoid arthritis develops gradually, the first symptoms of the disease are:
A little later, to the general signs of intoxication of the body, symptoms of joint damage are added:
The first symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis of the fingers are similar to the general symptoms, but may be more pronounced:
It is important not to ignore the first symptoms of finger arthritis, but to immediately consult a rheumatologist for diagnosis and prescription of medications. Advanced cases of the disease are much more difficult to treat and restore all joint functions.
Extra-articular lesions of the body develop against the background of rapid progression of rheumatoid arthritis, as a result of which blood circulation and nutrition of the tissues adjacent to the affected joint are disrupted.
If the above-described clinical manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis appear, the patient should contact a local physician as soon as possible, who will prescribe a detailed examination to confirm the diagnosis.
Diagnosis of RA includes:
Timely diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis can prevent numerous complications and significantly improve the patient’s quality of life.
Since the exact causes of the development of rheumatoid arthritis have not been identified, treatment of the disease comes down to symptomatic therapy and preventing further progression of joint deformity.
Drugs for rheumatoid arthritis are selected by the attending physician, depending on the clinical picture of the disease:
Outside the period of exacerbations of the disease, treatment of rheumatoid arthritis consists of exercise therapy, physiotherapeutic procedures, and surgery to correct joint deformities and restore its mobility.
In the absence of timely diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, the patient gradually develops complications:
In order to prevent the development of rheumatoid arthritis, patients at risk should follow simple recommendations from doctors:
According to ICD 10, rheumatoid arthritis is classified in the following categories: M05 - seropositive, M06 - seronegative and M08 - juvenile.
Category M05 - seropositive rheumatoid arthritis
Category M06 - seronegative rheumatoid arthritis
When autoimmune mechanisms are activated, an inflammatory reaction can occur in any joints of the patient’s body.
For rheumatoid arthritis, treatment includes the comprehensive implementation of various measures aimed at restoring the functionality of damaged joints and inhibiting destructive changes in their elements.
The disease is quite serious and characterized by a chronic course with a clear tendency towards a gradual worsening of pathological disorders at the site of inflammation.
No category of the population is immune from joint damage from rheumatoid arthritis; this pathology can occur at any age.
The reasons why rheumatoid arthritis occurs are not completely known to specialists today. This pathology is one of the autoimmune disorders, when activated, the body’s defenses (specific proteins and leukocyte cells) begin to perceive its own structural elements as foreign. A pathogenic reaction occurs as a result of the launch of immune mechanisms - the synthesis of certain enzymes, cytokines and other compounds that determine the formation of a focus of inflammation. Collagen fibers, cartilage tissue, synovial membranes of joints and the nuclear apparatus of some types of cellular structures can be subject to aggressive effects from protective cells.
As the inflammatory process increases, specific growths in the form of villi (pannus) begin to form and grow on the surface of the membranes of the affected joint, which provoke destructive changes in cartilage and bone tissue. Visually, this process manifests itself in the form of severe swelling in the joint area, its soreness and a significant limitation in the range of motion. As the pathology worsens, the growth of the pannus leads to deformation of the components of the articulation.
Symptoms and treatment of this pathological condition are determined by the nature of its course:
As the pathological process develops, larger joints become involved.
Many people are mistaken when they consider such pathological conditions as rheumatoid arthritis of the joints and rheumatism as the same disease. The development of rheumatism occurs as a result of damage to the body by streptococcal infection, and after the start of pathogenic mechanisms in the patient, the heart muscle is one of the first to be affected. Rheumatoid arthritis is autoimmune in nature and during its development, the target of inflammation is primarily the joints.
An additional distinctive feature of this form of arthritis is the gradual development of the pathological process, while rheumatism is characterized by a lightning-fast increase in the intensity of specific symptoms.
There is currently no treatment method that guarantees absolute cure for rheumatoid arthritis in medical practice. This is explained by the fact that experts have not yet been able to establish the true reasons for the launch of autoimmune processes. The adverse effects on the human body of the following factors play a role in the development of this pathology:
In some clinical cases, rheumatologists note the presence of a hereditary predisposition in the patient to joint damage by arthritis.
Symptoms of joint inflammation in the body are divided into 2 groups - somatic and local. The latter include pathological disorders in the affected joint:
A characteristic sign of autoimmune arthritis is the appearance of mobile rheumatoid nodules under the skin.
Common symptoms include impaired functionality of internal organs and their systems; such manifestations of arthritis complement the clinical picture with a significant aggravation of its course. A specific sign that allows one to differentiate somatic pathologies from rheumatoid arthritis is the formation of small subcutaneous rheumatic nodules.
Before treating rheumatoid arthritis, it is necessary to conduct a differential diagnosis in the patient to exclude the presence of other pathologies with similar symptoms. To do this, the attending physician relies on the following examination methods:
Only having complete laboratory and instrumental examination data can a rheumatologist decide how to treat the patient’s pathological disorders.
Medicines used to treat autoimmune joint inflammation are divided into 2 groups.
Those people who have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis are wondering how to cure this pathology. Since the true cause of the activation of autoimmune processes in the body has not been found, rheumatologists cannot guarantee complete relief from this form of arthritis. However, if you treat rheumatoid arthritis using a complex of various therapeutic techniques, you can achieve stable remission of the pathological condition and prevent the development of its complications.
Treatment of rheumatoid polyarthritis can be conservative or radical. Surgical methods for correcting pathological disorders in the joints are a last resort; specialists prescribe them only if the disease has significantly progressed and there is no positive effect from the use of other treatment methods.
Traditional therapy for autoimmune joint inflammation is based on a set of therapeutic measures.
When a rheumatologist diagnoses this arthritis in a patient, treatment is aimed primarily at relieving pathological manifestations and restoring mobility in the damaged joints. For this purpose, drug therapy is carried out. Medicines used to eliminate pathogenic disorders are divided into two groups - symptomatic and basic. The former include anti-inflammatory non-steroidal pharmaceuticals and analgesics.
If the therapeutic effect from the use of symptomatic medications is unsatisfactory, rheumatologists prescribe a course of hormone therapy - injections of glucocorticosteroid drugs directly into the joint cavity. Most often, this treatment technique is used in clinical cases when rheumatoid arthritis of the knee joint is diagnosed. This is due to the fact that the knee experiences the maximum load compared to other joints. After injections of hormonal drugs, the mobility of the damaged joint increases significantly, which is explained by the relief of the inflammatory process and the elimination of pain.
The disadvantage of such therapy is that when taken, the intensity of pathological symptoms decreases, but the root cause of inflammation is not eliminated.
Basic therapy for rheumatoid arthritis has appeared relatively recently in medical practice and is based on the use of specific drugs - cytostatics, the action of which is aimed at eliminating the original cause of the formation of the inflammatory focus. When consumed, there is a direct effect on the course of autoimmune processes, suppressing the synthesis of cytokines responsible for the formation of the inflammatory reaction in joint tissues. Those patients who can undergo this course of treatment experience significant improvement in the structure of all affected joints simultaneously.
The only drawback of this therapeutic technique is the rather high cost of basic medications. This is due to the fact that pharmaceuticals belonging to this group were invented relatively recently and their production process requires significant material costs.
If a patient has rheumatoid arthritis, how to treat this pathology in addition to the use of medications. An integral part of therapeutic measures is the use of physiotherapy, exercise therapy and manual therapy. A big mistake among this category of patients is the belief that pain in the affected joints is a contraindication to physical impact on them.
The development of pathological disorders in the structural elements of the inflamed joint occurs against the background of deterioration of tissue trophism and slowdown of metabolic processes. Excluding movements in the joint only contributes to the growth of destructive changes. A properly selected set of gymnastic exercises in combination with massage normalizes microcirculation in the area of inflammation, which leads to improved nutrition of the tissues surrounding the joint and accelerated evacuation of metabolic end products from this area. During the period of exacerbation of rheumatoid arthritis, such therapeutic methods are prohibited, but they are replaced by special positional therapy.
The use of physiotherapeutic methods of treatment can speed up the onset of remission of the disease.
By strictly following all medical recommendations, the patient can avoid progression of the disease and achieve stable remission. Maximum improvement of the usual lifestyle and regular exercise help relieve pain and maintain a person’s ability to work at a sufficient level.