The question, what is rheumatoid arthritis can be answered quite simply. This is an autoimmune disease and can cause inflammation around the tissues of the joints as well as the internal organs in the body. It can cause severe deformities in the hands, the wrist and the feet. Those that suffer from rheumatoid arthritis also have problems with their own immune system. In fact, the body’s own system mistakes the tissues as foreign bodies and attacks them. So the body creates anti bodies and targets itself.

What is rheumatoid arthritis and how does it affect the people
This is a chronic disease, which means that it stays with the patient and people are never fully cured. But often patients can live without showing any symptoms of the diseases for many years. With the passing of the years, it can become progressive and can cause joint destruction and functional disability in people afflicted with the diseases.

What is rheumatoid arthritis and how is it caused
The exact cause of the diseases is not known and research is being carried out worldwide to pinpoint the reason for this problem. Even though fungi, bacteria and other microorganism are suspected of causing the problem, the exact cause is still unknown. However it is known that the disease is a hereditary disease and certain factors in the environment can trigger the immune system of the body to attack its own tissues.

It has also been reported that smoking can increase the risk of the disease. The symptoms of the disease can become active for some periods of times and can then become completely inactive. The times that the symptoms are present in the form of swelling in joints, the disease is said to be active. In other cases, when the disease is in remission following treatment, the symptoms will not show. This process can go on for years for those that are affected by this disease.

For more information about Arthritis,please click What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis treatments.