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Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a specific type of arthritis that
causes pain, swelling, stiffness, loss of function, and inflammation of the joints due to
abnormalities in the body's own defense system—the immune system. Affecting approximately
1% of the population—estimated to be about of 2.1 million people—RA is more common
in women than in men by about a two-to-three ratio.
In the RA disease process, inflammation may cause damage to the synovium, cartilage, and bone itself. Areas that may be affected include the joints of the hands, wrists,
neck, jaw, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, feet, and ankles.
Often, RA affects the joints of the body in a symmetrical manner, meaning that the
disease attacks the same joint on both sides of the body—both hands,
for example. Progression of the disease
may occur slowly, involving only one joint then moving to others areas, or may involve multiple
joints throughout the body.
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