| atoid arthritis occurs when the white blood cells of the | | | | There are other risk factors that are known to |
| body begin to attack the membranes surrounding the | | | | increase your odds of being diagnosed with |
| joints, called the synovium. This causes the synovium | | | | rheumatoid arthritis at some point in your life. These |
| to become inflamed, and can eventually cause | | | | include a genetic predisposition to the illness, although |
| damage to the bone, cartilage and tendons around it. | | | | genetics do not seem to be a direct cause of |
| The result is pain and swelling in the joint area, and the | | | | rheumatoid arthritis. This disease seems to strike most |
| eventual deterioration of the joint itself. While medical | | | | often in women as they grow older, but the risk falls |
| professionals understand this part of the process in | | | | considerably after the age of eighty. Exposure to an |
| rheumatoid arthritis, the actual causes of rheumatoid | | | | infection can increase your risk, but only if you are |
| arthritis are still unknown. There are many theories | | | | prone to the disease in the first place. Finally, |
| involving the causes of rheumatoid arthritis, and these | | | | excessive smoking over a number of years can also |
| theories have helped doctors to understand some of | | | | increase your risk of rheumatoid arthritis, along with a |
| the risk factors that are involved. Doctors are still | | | | host of other illnesses. |
| seeking answers to questions about why some people | | | | If you have any of these risk factors, you can discuss |
| are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and others are | | | | with your doctor the causes of rheumatoid arthritis and |
| not. | | | | the likelihood that you will be diagnosed with the illness. |
| There are many possible causes of rheumatoid | | | | If you are considered to be in the high risk category, |
| arthritis that are being studied today. For example, it is | | | | such as having an immediate relative that has been |
| thought that this disease may be a result of a virus or | | | | diagnosed already, you can be alert to the symptoms |
| bacterium that causes an infection in the body could | | | | of rheumatoid arthritis, so that you know when to call |
| be the culprit in the cause of rheumatoid arthritis as | | | | your doctor. If you are noticing painful swelling in a |
| well. However, no specific agent has been identified so | | | | number of your joints on both sides of your body, your |
| far, and there is still a question as to why some | | | | doctor can run some tests to see if you indeed have |
| exposed to certain viruses may eventually be | | | | rheumatoid arthritis. Early diagnosis can mean a more |
| diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and others are not. | | | | effective treatment plan in the long run. |