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. Medication for RA can also cause side effects across the body.
In this article, we look at RA’s diverse range of impacts. We also discuss the long-term effects of RA on the body and the likely outcomes.
Which body parts are affected by RA?
RA is an autoimmune disease. Doctors also classify it as a systemic disease because of the extensive changes it can make to different parts of the body.
The joints
RA can affect any joint in the body, and it commonly develops in the fingers, hands, and feet.
The condition can also affect joints in the:
- neck and its vertebrae
- spine
- knees
- ankles
- hips
- shoulders
RA primarily targets the lining of the joints, called the synovium. The condition causes the synovium to become inflamed and swollen.
When the lining of a joint swells, it can lead to stiffness, pain, and a loss of mobility. People often experience joint pain and stiffness in the mornings, and this can be one of the first signs of RA.
By Jamie Crawford
Updated 09/18/2018
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