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Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which your body’s immune system reacts abnormally against the synovial membrane lining your joints resulting in inflammation on both sides of your body. Most commonly, the wrist and small joints of the body are affected and appear red, swollen, tender, stiff, and deformed if not treated. The disease is lifelong and can affect other body organs like the skin, heart, lungs, and eyes.
The actual cause of the disease is still unknown, but a combination of genetic and environmental factors is thought to play a role. Environmental factors such as smoking, infection, and trauma can trigger a reaction in genetically susceptible patients.
The treatment aims to reduce pain and inflammation by giving analgesics, NSAIDs, etc., and slowing down the progression of the disease by giving disease-modifying agents like hydroxychloroquine and methotrexate.