Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

What Is Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease that affects the joints causing long-term pain, stiffness and/or swelling in children, usually under 16 or 17 years of age. Inflammation is also common in the patients of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. It commonly affects the joints of hands and feet.

Malfunctioning of the immune system is responsible for sourcing the disease. In other words, the system accidentally consider healthy tissues harmful, thus attacks them. There are three types of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis:

1.    Pauciarticular.

2.    Polyarticular and

3.    Systematic.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis causes growth problems in the affected children.

What Are The Symptoms Of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis?

The most common and easily recognizable symptoms of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis include:

• Pain.
• Swelling.
• Stiffness.
• Inflammation of one or more joints.

Few patients of rheumatoid arthritis may also notice rashes, fever and swollen lymph nodes besides the above mentioned symptoms.

What Causes Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Medical experts and researchers are not sure why the immune system fails to recognize the healthy tissues of the body. Though, according to the theories, the disease may be instigated by any of the following triggers:

• Firstly, a child might be genetically affected by it i.e. the factors that might cause juvenile rheumatoid arthritis to occur would be present in the genes.
• Secondly, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis could occur due to an environmental factor such as a virus.

What Are The Risk Factors Of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis?

The mere risk factor of the disease is the gender of the victim. Rheumatoid arthritis is more common in females than in males.

Other risk factors might include a victim whose forefathers might have some kind of arthritis.

What Are The Complications Of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Victims of rheumatoid arthritis may face two major complications. However, medical experts believe that if treatment is done without any delay, the probability of these complications sharply deteriorates. Complications include:

• Eye problems.
• Growth Problems.

How Is Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosed?

Since pain in joints can be caused by several diseases and disorders, it cannot be a reliable factor to identify juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. According to the doctors, following can be helpful in diagnosing:

• Blood tests: Some specific tests like rheumatoid factor, C-reactive protein, ESR and CCP may be required, depending on the case.
• X-rays and MRI could be helpful since they can help eliminate doubts regarding fractures and infections.

How Is Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis Treated?

In order to treat juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, the doctor will prepare a treatment plan using a combination of medicines and exercises. Some well-known effective drugs to cure the disease include:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
• Biological agents.
• Corticosteroids.

Other than these medications, it is highly recommended that patients of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis must perform exercises that help to keep the joints moving.

Your therapist will also suggest other physical therapies, depending on the type of rheumatoid arthritis you are suffering from. Polyarticular rheumatoid arthritis will usually require more medications and therapies since more than five joints are affected in the type.

 

By : Natural Health News