Frequently asked questions about rheumatoid arthritis

01. Can environmental humidity cause rheumatoid arthritis?

There is no clear evidence for this. In fact, damp and cold environments may not be the cause of rheumatoid arthritis, but patients with rheumatoid arthritis do tend to experience increased joint swelling and pain in damp and cold environments.

This is mainly due to the fact that rheumatoid arthritis patients have defects in vasoconstriction and nerve deployment functions, and are more sensitive to humid environments, thus causing joint pain. Secondly, rheumatoid arthritis patients in a humid, cold environment slow down the flow of local joint fluid and inflammatory substances tend to accumulate in the joints, which in turn can cause an increase in pain and swelling.

02. What are the characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis?

The most common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are joint pain and swelling, but there are different disease courses and manifestations.

Most patients with rheumatoid arthritis are in the process of "flare-up-remission-flare-up-remission", during which the disease will continue to worsen if no intervention is made; some patients are never in remission and may continue to get worse; others have insidious disease, with mild symptoms, or may have a sudden onset of severe joint swelling and pain that does not flare up for many years.

Rheumatoid arthritis may also cause stiffness and immobility of the hands in the morning, which we call "morning stiffness. "Morning stiffness" may be a symptom of many joint diseases, but it is particularly prominent in rheumatoid arthritis, where many people with rheumatoid arthritis may have morning stiffness that lasts more than an hour. In rheumatoid arthritis with a long course, joint deformation may also occur.

03. Can rheumatoid arthritis be cured?

As of today, the cause of rheumatoid arthritis has not been clearly identified, so the disease cannot be completely eliminated and eradicated. The goal of clinical treatment is to help patients manage disease progression, relieve symptoms, and prevent joint destruction. Most patients with rheumatoid arthritis require long-term medication and regular visits to the hospital for observation and follow-up. Therefore, rheumatoid arthritis belongs to the category of chronic diseases and needs to be viewed with a good attitude.

It is undeniable that "plastering" can relieve the pain and other local symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis to a certain extent, but since rheumatoid arthritis is essentially an autoimmune disease, "plastering" does not achieve the effect of treating the disease.

04. Are women more likely to get rheumatoid arthritis during menstruation?

Rheumatoid arthritis is essentially an autoimmune disease, which is related to the body's immune dysfunction, the production of autoantibodies, and eventually synovitis, while the commonly referred to "menstrual disease" may be mainly due to the inflammatory reaction caused by puerperal infection, so the two are two different concepts.

05. How to treat rheumatoid arthritis that has deformed hands and feet for decades?

In patients with advanced rheumatoid arthritis, the goal of treatment is to reduce symptoms, relieve pain, and preserve joint function. Although the hands and feet are deformed, if there is still residual function in the joints, it is clinically important to help the patient with rehabilitation exercises as much as possible so that the remaining joint function can be preserved as much as possible without further degeneration.

06. Which department should I go to if I suspect I have rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatology and Immunology.

07. Can rheumatoid arthritis be detected by blood tests?

No. When doctors rank rheumatoid arthritis, they will first check the swelling and pain of the patient's joints, and then they will do some routine tests, such as routine blood tests and biochemical tests. In addition, tests related to rheumatoid arthritis and differential diagnostic tests, such as autoantibody tests, are also performed. In addition, imaging evaluations such as X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, CT, etc. are performed to check the extent of joint destruction.

08. Does a positive rheumatoid factor indicate rheumatoid arthritis?

Not necessarily. Many other diseases may also cause a positive rheumatoid factor, such as chronic hepatitis, tumors, dry syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, etc.

09. What are the diagnostic criteria for rheumatoid arthritis?

 The diagnostic criteria for rheumatoid arthritis revolve around the number and location of joint involvement, duration of disease, inflammatory indicators, autoantibodies, etc.

10. What should I do if I have rheumatoid arthritis and have joint pain and cannot exercise?

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis should pay attention to weight control. During the acute phase of pain in rheumatoid arthritis patients, exercise is not recommended. Patients need to take medication under the guidance of a doctor and exercise appropriately after the symptoms are relieved. Recommended exercise methods for exercising without weight-bearing on the joints, such as brisk walking, tai chi, cycling, swimming, etc., while paying attention to strengthening muscle function through exercise.

11. Is it advisable to soak the affected area with hot water when I have morning stiffness?

Soaking in warm water can indeed achieve the effect of relieving the symptoms of morning stiffness, but it cannot cure the disease.

12. Can rheumatoid arthritis be cured by surgery?

Surgery is not a fundamental treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. Patients need to be evaluated by rheumatologists and orthopedic surgeons for indications for surgery before undergoing surgery.

13. Can taking rheumatoid arthritis medications cause hair loss?

Yes, some medications may have hair loss as a side effect. If the hair loss is severe, the doctor will change the medication when appropriate.

14. Do people with rheumatoid arthritis need to avoid eating?

There is no direct relationship between rheumatoid arthritis and diet. Patients can usually eat normally.

15. What do rheumatoid arthritis patients need to pay attention to in general?

Taking medication regularly and having regular follow-ups.

Pay attention to proper exercise to maintain the normal function and status of joints and muscles.

Avoiding trauma, cold, infection and other triggers.

Maintain a healthy and regular lifestyle.