Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that many people suffer from. This disease causes chronic inflammation of the joints and the tissues around the joints. The way autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, work is that the body’s tissue is attacked by its own immune system. About 1 percent of the world’s population has rheumatoid arthritis, with women being three times as more likely to get this disease than men. There is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis at this time, but there are ways to manage the pain.

Because rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that involves tissue inflammation, the symptoms can be muscle and joint aches, stiffness, fatigue, lack of appetite and energy. This is a disease that can go into remission so these symptoms are usually only experienced when the disease is active.

There is no one comprehensive test to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis. Instead, the doctor will do a series of tests on the joints in the body. These tests can include examinations for swelling, inflammation and tenderness. There also may be x-rays and blood tests, to confirm any findings with the examinations.

There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, but there are treatment methods to help reduce the pain and inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment is given in two parts. There are fast-acting drugs and slow-acting drugs. The fast-acting drugs give relief for pain and inflammation and can include aspirin and cortisone. The slow-acting drugs prevent progressive joint regression and can help the disease go into remission. These drugs can include methotrexate and hydroxychloroquine. By using both kinds of drugs, the progression of rheumatoid arthritis can be slowed and relief can be had during flare ups.

Rheumatoid arthritis can be a painful disease to have to deal with especially since it has no cure. Having the disease go into remission is the best thing that can happen, and using medicines can help in this. When a flare up happens and the disease is active, different medicines can provide the necessary relief.