Rheumatoid Arthritis Is Rapidly Affecting Youngsters, 7 Signs To Look For

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease attacking mainly one’s joints and the ends of bones. Hence, bone movement becomes difficult in arthritis patients. Usually, this painful and uncomfortable ailment is thought to affect older people. However, a recent study has found that young people are also falling into the risk.

Yes, you heard it right. According to a study conducted by PubMed Central in 2017, youth affected by RA were 0.41 to 0.54 percent.

In fact, a study done in 2018 by the Journal of Chinese Medical Association proved that rheumatoid arthritis itself is an independent risk factor for several illnesses. The research was conducted on 52,840 participants, 10,568 of whom had the disease.

The discovery claimed that young adults with RA may have a higher risk of cerebrovascular disorders (CVD), along with coronary artery disease and stroke. Apart from that, researchers also found that the risk of all these disease was 2.35 times higher in these individuals.

Now before learning about the symptoms, let’s first understand more about the disease.

What is Rheumatoid arthritis

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), RA is an auto-immune illness that mostly affects the bones and joints. This can cause swelling and inflammation as in this auto-immune illnesses the immune system attacks healthy cells in the body.

Moreover, the CDC claims that the eyes, lungs, and heart are some of the body organs that also gets affected by RA, increasing difficulties for patients.

Cause of RA In Young People

Although the exact cause of RA is still unknown, there are a few risk factors associated with it which can lead to this condition. According to a report in Health Shots, Dr Nikhil Iyer, Knee and Shoulder and Joint Replacement surgeon, Zen Multi Speciality Hospital, said that nowadays the causes of RA Zen Multi Speciality Hospital. “There are many factors behind its occurrence,” he added.

Some Main Causes Of RA

1. One can get rheumatoid arthritis in legacy. Having someone in the blood-related family with RA, can put one at increased risk of suffering from this illness.
2. Smoking cigarettes is another factor that raises the chances of rheumatoid arthritis in the younger population. Especially, if there is a genetic predispositionfor developing the disease, one must beaware.
3. Being overweight can also cause RA as people suffering from excessive weight gain or obese have a greater risk of developing the illness.

Symptoms Of Rheumotoid Arthritis

RA affects every individual in differently and can strike at any age. Most commonly women between the ages of 30 and 50 are affected by it. Understanding the warning signs at its earliest can reduce the risk of the situation from getting worse.

7 Major Symptoms To Look For

1. Pain, welling, stiffness, or tenderness in the joints on a daily basis. Immense pain even during normal work causing major distraction.
2. Bones and joints feeling stiff during the morning, something that occurs due to not moving and sitting in one place.
3. Extreme tiredness and fatigue throughout the day can also be seen in many people.
4. Weakness lowering productivity at work.
5. Frequently falling sick, is also a sign of rheumotoid arthritis.
6. Loss of appetite, or not feeling like eating timely meals.
7. If more than one joint keeps paining or showing stiffness or swelling and keeps worsening with time, then it’s arthritis.