Description of Disease

Treatments

Rheumatoid arthritis is a

There

disease of the immune

treatments for rheumatoid

system. It causes the

arthritis, but there is no

immune system to not work

absolute

correctly; rather than

disease.

Some treatments

attacking viruses and

include:

analgesic

bacteria, the immune system

nonsteroidal

anti-

attacks the body at its joints.

inflammatory

drugs

In addition to causing harm to

(NSAIDs),

the joints, it can also hurt the

Disease-Modifying

skin, eyes, blood vessels, and

Antirheumatic

lungs. It is a chronic disease

(DMARDs),

that can cause joint

Haley Kopkau

destruction over a period of

time as short as a year. It
affects women more often
than men, and is often
diagnosed after the age of 40.
However, even children can
be diagnosed with this
disease.

DMARDs.

are

cure

several

for

this
drugs,

Corticosteroids,

and

Drugs
Biologic

Some examples

of common medication are

4th hour Physiology
Bone Disease Brochure
Rheumatoid Arthritis

Humira,

Orencia,

Rhuematrex.

and
These

medications aim to reduce

swelling and pain of joints.

Symptoms
Some symptoms of
rheumatoid arthritis include:

How it Affects the

Skeletal System

pain, stiffness, swelling, and

Rheumatoid

arthritis

loss of function in affected

the

joints. The damage of this

damaging the joints at which

joint can become permanent

bones

overtime. The joint can often

move. This arthritis is caused

become deformed and eroded.

by the friction between bones

The tenderness of joints is the

at

biggest symptom of this

immune system attacks the

disease.

tissue of the joint, mistakenly,

skeletal
come

the

affects

system
together

joint.

by
and

When

the

it causes the erosion of this

joint.

This disease can affect

Resources:

any joint in the body.

www.ra.com

History

http://www.humira.com/ra/medi
cation.aspx

The earliest report of

rheumatoid arthritis was by
Ebers Papyrus in 1500 BC.
Also, later observations of
Egyptian mummies show that
it was a prevalent disease in
their society. In older
civilizations they used
bloodletting and leaching as
treatments for RA.
Acupuncture, moxibustion, and

http://www.mayoclinic.com/heal
th/rheumatoidarthritis/DS00020

http://www.medicinenet.com/
rheumatoid_arthritis/page5.h
tm#what_is_the_treatment_f
or_rheumatoid_arthritis
medical.net/health/Rheumat
oid-Arthritis-History.aspx