You might be surprised to read that there is a connection between rheumatoid arthritis and lung disease. After all, they are two separate parts of the body. Moving your body's joints has nothing to do with breathing in and out, right? Wrong. With more and more research, we are able to see that our bodies are connected a lot closer than we thought. Therefore, even a problem in your joints (like your wrists and ankles) can eventually affect inner organs like your lungs.

The Joys Of Immune Diseases

The connection between rheumatoid arthritis and lung disease lies in the body's immune system. If that goes out of whack, then lots of seemingly unrelated part of the body can suffer. Although we don’t know everything about the causes of rheumatoid arthritis, it is commonly thought to be a disease of the immune system.

Whether through injury or through infection, the body was invaded by chemicals like viruses and bacteria. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, the injury or infection was in your joints. In order to combat this infection, the body's immune system sent out its arsenal of white blood cells, antibodies and other proteins.

And then these cells just keep on attacking, even after the original infection is long gone. The "retreat" order just never gets to the soldier cells on the front line. They think that there is still a battle to be fought. They will keep on attacking whatever is around, including the very body it was originally trying to protect.

This attacking force can spread far from the original source of injury or infection through the circulation system. Sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis often have other medical complaints like gastritis, liver problems or lung disease. When you get rheumatoid arthritis, lung disease is a distinct possibility of developing.

Nodules

Often with rheumatoid arthritis and lung disease, you grow nodules in or on your lungs. These are usually not cancerous – they're just really annoying skin growths that cause pain and make breathing problematic. This can also cause high blood pressure or fluid in your lungs.

You have to go to a doctor for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and lung disease – it will not go away on its own. Although you most likely will not develop dreaded lung cancer, you can still die of complications from rheumatoid arthritis and lung disease. Fortunately, the lungs can be treated, if caught early enough. Go to the doctor if you have chest pain, problems breathing and/or fever.