| Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that affects joints and | | | | causes. Research has come to the conclusion that |
| may affect other systems in your body. As yet, there | | | | triggering agents may cause the onset of the disease |
| is no known cure. But recent research means that | | | | only in patients who have a tendency towards the |
| people with rheumatoid arthritis can have relieving | | | | disease. The triggering agent at fault is most likely a |
| treatment that lessens the pain and discomfort. | | | | virus or bacteria. |
| Rheumatoid arthritis affects approximately 3% of the | | | | If you have a close relative with rheumatoid arthritis, |
| population and effects 3 times more women than men. | | | | the risk of you developing the disease is a possibility at |
| The disease usually develops between the ages of 25 | | | | some time in your life. Diet, stress, trauma, hormones |
| to 50 but can occur really at any age. A similar type of | | | | and weather probably do not cause rheumatoid |
| arthritis affects children as well. | | | | arthritis but these areas may affect the amount of |
| Rheumatoid arthritis may develop gradually or can | | | | discomfort and pain experienced. |
| start with an unexpected sudden attack. It is a chronic | | | | Rheumatoid Arthritis - What Happens? |
| disease that may last a lifetime. Some people may | | | | Rheumatoid arthritis results from the changes in your |
| often have times when the arthritis goes away, this is | | | | body's immune system. No one quite understands why |
| called a remission. These remissions can last weeks or | | | | but when you have rheumatoid arthritis your body's |
| even years. | | | | immune system attacks its own organs and the |
| What causes rheumatoid arthritis? | | | | tissues of the joints. This attack on your immune |
| Although we know a lot about what happens in | | | | system makes many different things happen. |
| rheumatoid arthritis, we do not know the underlying | | | | |