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Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis is essential. As someone with rheumatoid arthritis, you're forced to deal with reduced mobility and unrelenting pain at times. However, a life absent of treatment can also mean even more trouble in the form of deformities. Learn more about rheumatoid arthritis and deformities to ensure you're protected.
Joint Damage
The human body has several joints that make movement—more specifically, smooth, friction-free movement—possible. To help protect the joints, each joint is surrounded by a membrane known as synovium. Synovium triggers the production of a thin, fluidlike substance that coats the joint and protects it from damage. When left untreated, rheumatoid arthritis shocks the immune system and causes the body to turn on itself and attack.
In response to the attack, the body begins to produce increased amounts of the joint covering fluid in an effort to protect the joints. However, too much of this substance is not a good thing. As the fluid layers increase, it puts pressure on the joint, which can cause it to shift and can lead to a subsequent deformity.
Types of Deformities
If you are not undergoing treatment for your rheumatoid arthritis, a deformity can surface in a variety of different ways, but there are some more common scenarios, such as those targeting the joints on the foot and hand.
On the foot, the extra fluid can cause the joint at the base of your big toe to protrude outward, away from your other toes. On the hand, the extra fluid could force a joint on your finger to bend downward or out to the side, which would prevent you from fully stretching the finger. It's important to understand that rheumatoid arthritis can attack any joint in your body when you are not undergoing the appropriate treatment.
Prevention
The best way to prevent a deformity is to treat your rheumatoid arthritis and to do so early. There are a series of prescription medications that you can take to reduce the progression of the disease and minimize or eliminate symptoms altogether. As a result, these medications eliminate the increase in joint covering fluid production and reduce the risk of a deformity.
However, if treatment is delayed and the deformity has already taken shape, medication may not be a complete solution. If your joint is already deformed, you may need to move toward a surgical procedure to correct the issue, which will likely also involve some form of rehabilitation, such as physical therapy. However, beginning treatment therapy can prevent future deformities.
Are you not being treated for your rheumatoid arthritis? If not, get in touch with a company such as Sarasota Arthritis Center as soon as possible to talk about your treatment options.
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