Home > Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine > Rheumatoid Arthritis

Definition

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease causing inflammation and deformity of the joints. Other systemic problems throughout the body may also develop, including inflammation of blood vessels (vasculitis), the development of bumps (rheumatoid nodules) in various parts of the body, lung disease, blood disorders, and weakening of the bones (osteoporosis).

Description

The skeletal system of the body is made up of different types of strong, fibrous tissue called connective tissue. Bone, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons are all forms

of connective tissue that have different compositions and characteristics.

The joints are structures that hold two or more bones together. Synovial joints allow for movement between the bones being joined, the articulating bones. The simplest synovial joint involves two...