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Gordon M. Hughes 9:00 a.m. ET May 24, 2017

Gordon M. Hughes(Photo: Photo provided by IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital)

May 20 is World Autoimmune Arthritis Day. Many of us know someone afflicted with arthritis or suffer from it ourselves. Similarly to many diseases, early diagnosis and treatment is vital for daily living and recovery.

Arthritis is a term referring to joint pain, and there are more than 100 different forms of it. That is why the International Foundation for Autoimmune Arthritis works hard to focus its efforts on the autoimmune and associated diseases where arthritis is a major issue so that those suffering can receive the treatment they need.

What is autoimmune arthritis?

An autoimmune disease is a condition where the immune system, in response to an unknown trigger, begins producing antibodies that attack the bodys own tissue instead of infections. This decreases the bodys ability to fight invaders and makes it vulnerable to infection. In autoimmune arthritis, the immune system attacks the lining of the joints themselves in addition to other parts of the body.

How do I know if I have autoimmune arthritis?

Typically, autoimmune arthritis diseases have a set of overlapping symptoms that help in diagnosis because along with the inflammation of the tissue around the joints there tends to be inflammation and injury in other organs in the body. These symptoms frequently include debilitating fatigue, fevers, myalgia (ever-present muscle pain), brain fog and joint pain in multiple locations at the same time.

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The most common form this takes is rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA causes chronic inflammation of the joints. Usually, multiple joints are affected in a symmetrical pattern. This disease is characterized by periods of disease flares and remissions, and because it is a chronic inflammation that over time loosens the joint ligament by eroding cartilage and bone, it can often cause permanent joint destruction and deformity.

Approximately 1.3 million people in the U.S. suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, and the disease is three times more common in women than men. It can actually start at any age and even effect children, but it most often starts between 40 and 60 years of age.

What are other forms of autoimmune arthritis?

There are many autoimmune diseases involving arthritis that are most similar in onset, continued symptoms, treatment, and potential for remission to Rheumatoid Arthritis. Some of them are psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Stills disease, Sjogrens syndrome, systemic lupus, erythematosus and juvenile arthritis (all versions of the disease in children).

What are the potential complications of these conditions?

Like already noted, these are largely systemic diseases where inflammation can affect many parts of the body. Inflammation of the glands of the eyes and mouth can cause dryness of these areas. Left alone, this can cause damage to the cornea and the white parts of the eye which endanger it as a whole.

Inflammation of the lungs can cause chest pain, shortness of breath and coughing. If this is untreated, it can continue to intensify and is associated with an increased risk for heart attack. Again, because these are systemic diseases, there are complications that can be present in multiple parts of the body.

What can I do about this?

The best preliminary advice is to see your primary care provider early. Early diagnosis and specific treatment can go a long way in moving forward with these conditions. When you talk to your doctor, be specific about what the pain really feels like. Only you know how much it hurts and how it affects your life.

Gordon M. Hughes, MD, FRCP, FACR, is board certified in internal medicine/rheumatology. He began practicing in 1990, and is currently medical director of Specialty Services. For more information, visit iuhealth.org/ball-memorial, or call IU Health Ball Memorial Physicians Rheumatology at 765-289-5410.

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Ask the Expert: What is autoimmune arthritis? - Muncie Star Press

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