Rheumatoid arthritis is a serious condition that affects a great deal of people all over the world. In fact, this serious joint problem actually originates as an autoimmune condition, which can turn into terrible joint inflammation and pain. Rheumatoid arthritis is different from osteoarthritis in that the bones themselves are still properly separated by their cushion of cartilage.
With rheumatoid arthritis, the synovial membrane is the party to blame for all of the pain and suffering of this joint problem. In fact, a great deal of joint inflammation is caused by the imflammation of this synovial membrane, as the illness progresses across years. Rheumatoid arthritis can cause a great many problems with a person's mobility. However, the joint inflammation (and indeed, the joint problem itself) are not the only part of rheumatoid arthritis. In fact, they are not even the cause of the whole thing.
Rheumatoid arthritis is actually caused by an autoimmune condition, which bears the same name. The arthritis itself can be used to describe not only the cause, but the joint problem (which is very often joint inflammation) itself. And this joint problem happens because the body is actually trying to attack its own cells, out of a ridiculous (or as some might say, bass ackwards) attempt to keep the body safe. While there is nothing whatsoever wrong with the body working its hardest to keep out foreign intrusive and invasive diseases and objects, rheumatoid arthritis is itself an illness that can cause extreme pain and ultimately a loss of overall function in the afflicted joints.
Every person has a joint problem from time to time in their life – it is a completely common occurrence. However, while joint inflammation is a common problem for most of us, it generally gets better. With those who have to suffer with rheumatoid arthritis, there may not be that type of "it's only temporary" respite to which they can fall back on. Rheumatoid arthritis is the kind of illness that may very well be a life long condition. While the symptoms themselves may fall by the wayside for a period of time, which can even last for months on end, the condition has a tendency to continue the joint problem for a very long time.
Sometimes when a person has rheumatoid arthritis, they actually think that they have osteoarthritis. However, the difference is actually a peculiar one. While the effect of osteoarthritis is that the ends of two bones rub together (which tends to cause massive damage to both of them, over time), in rheumatoid arthritis the effect is a more subtle erosion of the bones. When your own immune system attacks your own cells, it is rather like a civil war, or a brawl within a family. There is no winning a fight of that nature – there is only pain, and damage.
The joint problem of rheumatoid arthritis is not actually as much a joint problem as it is an immune system problem. And when your immune system has forgotten which side it fights for, you have a serious issue.
