how does rheumatoid arthritis affect body systems?
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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes a person's immune system to mistakenly attack healthy tissue. When left untreated, RA can have wide-ranging effects. Along with the joints, RA can affect many of the body's organs, including the heart, eyes, and brain, as well as the skeleton.
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Widespread inflammation Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition which can cause inflammation to develop in other parts of your body, such as the: lungs – inflammation of the lungs or lung lining can lead to pleurisy or pulmonary fibrosis, which can cause chest pain, a persistent cough and shortness of breath.
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When rheumatoid arthritis occurs, the immune system attacks a synovial joint's delicate membrane. The affected finger, thumb, and/or wrist joints can become inflamed, swollen, and painful. The disease process involves these 5 steps: White blood cells invade.
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Rheumatoid arthritis is not an isolated disease of the bones and joints. It affects tissues throughout the body, causing damage to the blood vessels, nerves, and tendons.
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Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common connective tissue diseases and can be inherited. RA is an autoimmune disease, meaning the immune system attacks its own body. In this systemic disorder, immune cells attack and inflame the membrane around joints.
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Swelling, warmth and redness The lining of joints affected by rheumatoid arthritis become inflamed, which can cause the joints to swell, and become hot and tender to touch. In some people, firm swellings called rheumatoid nodules can also develop under the skin around affected joints.
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The disease commonly affects the hands, knees or ankles, and usually the same joint on both sides of the body. But sometimes, RA causes problems in other parts of the body as well, such as the eyes, heart and circulatory system and/or lungs.
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Rheumatoid arthritis causes chronic inflammation that affects not only the joints but other organ systems, too. One of the lesser-known symptoms of the condition is brain fog. Many people with rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, report having trouble thinking clearly, problems with memory, and difficulty concentrating.
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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease primarily affecting cartilaginous joints but also extra-articular tissues such as the nose and upper respiratory tract.
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Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that can affect more than just your joints. In some people, the condition can damage a wide variety of body systems, including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart and blood vessels.
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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes pain and swelling of the joints. The normal role of your body's immune system is to fight off infections to keep you healthy. In an autoimmune disease, your immune system starts attacking your own healthy tissues.
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Many joints affected (polyarthritis) Usually, but not always, rheumatoid arthritis affects many joints. Classically, RA affects the small joints of the hands and wrists and balls of the feet. Also, not uncommonly, knees, elbows, hips, ankles, and shoulders can be inflamed.
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Rheumatoid arthritis develops when the immune system produces antibodies that attach to the linings of joints. Immune system cells then attack the joints, causing inflammation, swelling, and pain. If untreated, rheumatoid arthritis causes gradually causes permanent joint damage.
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Having rheumatoid arthritis (RA) does not directly cause people to be overweight. However, people with RA may struggle to maintain a healthy weight or lose unwanted weight because they find it difficult to exercise to burn calories due to joint pain and fatigue.
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Rheumatoid arthritis is often referred to as RA. The inflammation in the joints causes joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and loss of function. The inflammation often affects other organs and systems of the body, including the lungs, heart, and kidneys.
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Rheumatoid patients can develop skin disorders. According to the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics (UIHC), this happens because rheumatoid conditions like RA are autoimmune diseases. UIHC notes that the same kind of immune system problems that cause joint inflammation, swelling, and pain can also affect your skin.
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RA commonly affects joints in the hands, wrists, and knees. In a joint with RA, the lining of the joint becomes inflamed, causing damage to joint tissue. This tissue damage can cause long-lasting or chronic pain, unsteadiness (lack of balance), and deformity (misshapenness).