Book: class 11 echo's
Chapter: Salvatore
What is rheumatism? How does this disease affect Salvatore's life? [8marks]
(atleast two pages)
Answers
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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system – which normally protects its health by attacking foreign substances like bacteria and viruses – mistakenly attacks the joints. This creates inflammation that causes the tissue that lines the inside of joints (the synovium) to thicken, resulting in swelling and pain in and around the joints. The synovium makes a fluid that lubricates joints and helps them move smoothly.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system – which normally protects its health by attacking foreign substances like bacteria and viruses – mistakenly attacks the joints. This creates inflammation that causes the tissue that lines the inside of joints (the synovium) to thicken, resulting in swelling and pain in and around the joints. The synovium makes a fluid that lubricates joints and helps them move smoothly.If inflammation goes unchecked, it can damage cartilage, the elastic tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint, as well as the bones themselves. Over time, there is loss of cartilage, and the joint spacing between bones can become smaller. Joints can become loose, unstable, painful and lose their mobility. Joint deformity also can occur. Joint damage cannot be reversed, and because it can occur early, doctors recommend early diagnosis and aggressive treatment to control RA.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system – which normally protects its health by attacking foreign substances like bacteria and viruses – mistakenly attacks the joints. This creates inflammation that causes the tissue that lines the inside of joints (the synovium) to thicken, resulting in swelling and pain in and around the joints. The synovium makes a fluid that lubricates joints and helps them move smoothly.If inflammation goes unchecked, it can damage cartilage, the elastic tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint, as well as the bones themselves. Over time, there is loss of cartilage, and the joint spacing between bones can become smaller. Joints can become loose, unstable, painful and lose their mobility. Joint deformity also can occur. Joint damage cannot be reversed, and because it can occur early, doctors recommend early diagnosis and aggressive treatment to control RA.Rheumatoid arthritis most commonly affects the joints of the hands, feet, wrists, elbows, knees and ankles. The joint effect is usually symmetrical. That means if one knee or hand if affected, usually the other one is, too. Because RA also can affect body systems, such as the cardiovascular or respiratory systems, it is called a systemic disease. Systemic means “entire body.”
Rheumatology and Rheumatic Diseases.
Rheumatic diseases affect your joints tendons, ligaments, bones, and muscles. Among them are many types of arthritis, a term used for conditions that affect your joints.
Sometimes they’re called musculoskeletal diseases. Common symptoms include:
Joint pain
Loss of motion in a joint or joints
Inflammation -- swelling, redness, and warmth in a joint or affected area
The medical field that studies these types of conditions is called rheumatology. If your regular doctor thinks you have a rheumatic disease, he’ll probably send you to a rheumatologist -- a doctor who’s specially trained to treat them.
Your rheumatologist will examine you to diagnose your condition, then oversee a treatment plan for you that will likely include medications, regular exercise, a healthy diet, stress management, and rest.
Common Rheumatic Disorders
Years ago, conditions like this fell under the broad heading of rheumatism. Now there are more than 200 distinct rheumatic diseases. Among the most common ones are:
Osteoarthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
Lupus
Spondyloarthropathies -- ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA)
Sjogren’s syndrome
Gout
Scleroderma
Infectious arthritis
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Polymyalgia rheumatica
What Causes Rheumatic Disease?
Most of these conditions happen when your immune system goes awry and attacks your own tissues. Doctors aren’t sure what causes this. Sometimes it’s in your genes. Other times it’s a result of something in the world around you, like cigarette smoke, pollution, or something that causes an infection. Gender also plays a role -- rheumatic diseases seem to affect women more than men.
What to Expect When You Have a Rheumatic Disease
• Osteoarthritis (OA)
What it is: Unlike most rheumatic diseases, osteoarthritis isn’t linked to problems with your immune system. It results from damage to cartilage, the cushiony material on the end of your bones. As it wears down, your joints hurt and become harder to move. It usually affects the knees, hips, lower back, neck, fingers, and feet.
Symptoms:
Pain
Warmth
Stiffness
Muscle weakness can make joints unstable. Depending on what parts of the body it affects, OA can make it hard to walk, grip objects, dress, comb your hair, or sit.
Diagnosis: Your doctor will ask about your medical history and symptoms. You’ll also get a physical exam. You may also need to get blood tests or let your doctor take a sample of fluid from an affected joint.
Usually by the time someone with OA seeks treatment, there are changes visible on an X-ray of the joint. The X-ray may show narrowing of the joint space or the presence of bone spurs. In some cases, your doctor might request an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to provide a picture of the inside of your joint.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
What it is: RA happens when the immune system attacks your own tissues and causes joint pain, swelling, and stiffness. It’s not part of normal aging.
Symptoms:
Pain and swelling in multiple joints (usually the same joints on both sides of your body, like both wrists or both ankles)
Problems in other organs such as the eyes and lungs
Joint stiffness, especially in the morning
Fatigue
Lumps called rheumatoid nodules
Diagnosis: You’ll get a checkup and tell your doctor about your health history. The doctor may take X-rays and samples of your joint fluid. He’ll do blood tests that look for different signs of inflammation. These include:
Antinuclear antibody (ANA)
Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCP)
Complete blood count
C-reactive protein (CRP)
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
Rheumatoid factor (RF)
• Lupus
What it is: Lupus (also called SLE or systemic lupus erythematosus) is an autoimmune disease. It can affect many organs in your body.
Joint pain
Fatigue
Joint stiffness
Rashes, including a "butterfly" rash across the cheeks
Sun sensitivity
Hair loss
Blue or white fingers or toes when exposed to cold .
Problems in other organs such as the kidneys
Blood disorders, such as anemia and low levels of white blood cells or platelets
Chest pain from inflammation of the lining of the heart or lungs
Seizures or strokes
Diagnosis: Your doctor will ask about your medical history, do a physical exam, and order lab tests of blood and urine samples. Blood tests for lupus include:
Antinuclear antibody test (ANA). Most people with lupus have a positive ANA blood test.
Anti-double stranded DNA antibody .