Although it mostly affects ages between 30 and 50, rheumatoid arthritis syndrome can start at any age. Rheumatoid arthritis syndrome is a chronic disease, causing joint pain, stiffness, swelling and decreased joint movements. It is a common disease affecting 1% of the world’s population, including more than 1.3 million Americans with 41 out of every 100,000 diagnosed each year.
Rheumatoid arthritis syndrome can also affect the whole body, attacking organs such as the heart, lungs, or other tissues such as muscles, ligaments, and cartilage. When a person has rheumatoid arthritis syndrome, their body’s immune system mistakes its own tissues as being foreign invaders and the immune system will develop antibodies to destroy the so-called “invaders” in the synovium (located within the joints).
If rheumatoid arthritis syndrome is left untreated, the chronic swelling and pain can worsen and cause permanent disability. But how does one stop their own immune system from attacking their body? Luckily, there is a rheumatoid arthritis syndrome treatment that is all-natural, safe, and can correct your body’s communication system to stop it from misinterpreting signals. But first, it is important to be aware of the rheumatoid arthritis syndrome symptoms to help you detect it as soon as possible.
Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis Syndrome
To begin, one who is starting to have signs of rheumatoid arthritis syndrome might notice small joints in their body (such as fingers and toes) becoming warm, stiff, or swollen. These symptoms may come and go, lasting anywhere from a few days to weeks at a time then disappear. As time passes, rheumatoid arthritis will go after larger joints (your hips, shoulders, and knees) without much of a “break” or remission.
Some symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis syndrome will include the following:
- Anemia – Having a deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood
- Weight Loss – Muscles weigh heavier than fat, and those with rheumatoid arthritis syndrome may experience pain and stiffness that makes it hard for them to exercise and maintain a healthy muscle mass
- Low-Grade Fevers – This is a common symptom to have, usually caused by inflammation
- Pain and Stiffness – Because of the immune system attacking “invaders” in the joints, it will cause your joints to be harder to use and not move as well as they normally should
- Rheumatoid Nodules – These are unique to rheumatoid arthritis syndrome, also known as firm bumps, and are located beneath the skin around the joints affected by the condition
- Fatigue – It is not unusual for those with rheumatoid arthritis syndrome to experience mental or physical exhaustion because of the antibodies causing high inflation levels – which lead to severe fatigue
Common Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis Syndrome
The most common treatment for rheumatoid arthritis syndrome is a Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug (DMARD). The first DMARD usually prescribed by doctors is methotrexate to help treat rheumatoid arthritis syndrome by calming the inflammation and slowly the progression. If this prescription alone does not calm the inflammation, doctors may try a different type of DMARD or add another to the prescription.
While these drugs do help inflammation and slow down the progression of rheumatoid arthritis syndrome, it does not stop your immune system from being confusing and attacking your body. In addition, it is typical for DMARDs to come with side effects that could do further damage to your body. Common side effects of DMARDs for treating rheumatoid arthritis syndrome include:
- Upset Stomach – DMARDs may cause nausea along with vomiting or diarrhea
- Blood Problems – DMARDs can affect your immune system even more, raising the risk of infection and may even lessen white blood cells (cells that fight infections) or lower your red blood cell count (causing anemia and making you fatigued)
- Liver Problems– Liver problems from DMARDs are less common than getting an upset stomach, but blood will need to be checked on a regular basis to ensure your liver is not being harmed
Because of this, it is recommended for those who have rheumatoid arthritis syndrome to first try an all-natural treatment first, which leads us to upper cervical care.
But Why Would Upper Cervical Care Help Rheumatoid Arthritis Syndrome?
Think about it. Upper cervical chiropractors study how the brain stem and the immune system function together. The two upper vertebrae of your spine, the axis and the atlas, support and house your brain stem. When one of these bones are misaligned, it causes your brain stem to become compressed and disrupting the brain to body communication. When this happens, you guessed it…your immune system becomes confused and misinterprets signals from the brain.
Your immune system will start acting out of sync, beginning to think there are problems elsewhere (like the “foreign invaders”) and attack your organs and tissues. Upper cervical adjustments correct misalignments that compress your brain stem to enable your body to go back to functioning properly. This disturbance in your body’s communication is also capable of causing many symptoms throughout your body and conditions because of all the nerves originating from it.
Upper cervical adjustments are unlike general chiropractic adjustments: They are very small, precise movements and do not have any cracking or popping involved. Because upper cervical adjustments have no side effects, it is highly recommended that those who have rheumatoid arthritis syndrome and who not only want to find relief but to help their body heal from it, to try this natural treatment before putting more strain on the body that can come from the side effects of medication.