What Are the Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common condition that causes aching and discomfort in the joints, particularly during rainy or cloudy weather. Proper medical treatment is essential for RA patients, as advised by their doctors. Additionally, it is recommended to avoid excessive fatigue and prolonged exposure to damp environments. RA can have significant impacts on the body, often affecting the heart and respiratory system. What are the causes of RA? Let's explore them further.

Firstly, the exact causes of RA are still unclear, but they may be associated with the following factors:

1. Autoimmune Factors: Some RA patients can detect various autoantibodies such as RF and CCP antibodies in their serum several years before the onset of symptoms. These autoantibodies have a close relationship with RA.

2. Infection: Many pathogens, including mycoplasma, viruses, bacteria, and their components, have been linked to the development of RA.

3. Genetic Factors: RA exhibits clear genetic characteristics, with a significantly higher incidence rate among families of RA patients.

Secondly, the common symptoms of RA include:

1. Morning stiffness, which refers to the subjective feeling of joint stiffness and inflexibility upon waking up in the morning. This is a non-specific manifestation of joint inflammation, and its duration is positively correlated with the severity of inflammation.

2. Manifestations of joint involvement, such as multi-joint involvement, joint deformity, and carpal tunnel syndrome/tarsal tunnel syndrome caused by compression of the median nerve/posterior tibial nerve.

Thirdly, other symptoms of RA may include:

1. General manifestations like fever, rheumatoid nodules, rheumatoid vasculitis, and lymphadenopathy.

2. Involvement of the heart and respiratory system.

3. Renal manifestations, primarily including primary glomerular and tubulointerstitial nephritis, renal amyloidosis, and renal damage secondary to medication.

4. Anemia is the most common extra-articular manifestation of RA, typically presenting as mild to moderate chronic disease-related anemia.

Proper management and treatment are crucial for RA patients to manage their symptoms and maintain their quality of life.