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Understanding Rheumatoid Arthritis: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Approaches

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder that primarily affects the joints, leading to pain, swelling, and stiffness. Unlike osteoarthritis, which results from wear and tear of cartilage, rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy joint tissues. This immune response causes inflammation that can damage joints and surrounding tissues over time, ultimately impacting mobility and quality of life.

Causes and Risk Factors

The exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis remains unclear, but researchers believe it results from a combination of genetic, environmental, and hormonal factors. Genetic predisposition plays a significant role, particularly in individuals who carry specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes. However, having these genes alone does not guarantee the disease’s onset. Environmental triggers such as smoking, chronic infections, or exposure to certain chemicals can initiate autoimmune responses in genetically susceptible individuals. Additionally, women are more prone…

This group is in honor of my late grandfather, Soren Saetre. He passed away before I was born but I feel connected to him through our writing and stories that have been shared, over the years. He wrote an opinion piece for a small Decatur, MI newspaper, under a tag line, How Come by Gus. My father gave me an album that contains clippings of many, if not all of his articles as well as some poetry and a story he wrote about starting out with my grandmother. I continue this to honor him.

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