How to treat rheumatoid arthritis effectively? Rheumatoid arthritis affects around 400,000 people in the UK, it is the most relentless form of chronic arthritis and, in adults, the second most common form in the UK. patients (1). “RA is more common in women than men and usually develops between the fourth and fifth decades of life” (A). Rheumatoid arthritis is serious because it is a form of autoimmune disease, this is where the body's immune system attacks and damages functioning tissues, due to the inability to recognize the difference between foreign cells and normal cells. For example, it damages the synovial membrane surrounding the knee and bone erosion begins. This damage to the active tissue triggers an inflammatory response causing fluid to build up around the knee (2). However, this can happen in any joint which is why it is such an important problem because you simply cannot inhibit the effects of the immune system as this would make you extremely vulnerable to disease. more deadly. If effective treatment is not applied, it could be disabling for patients, the inflammation causes pain, stiffness, muscle pain, rheumatoid nodules (lumps of tissue) and fatigue (3). The problem with rheumatoid arthritis is that it causes debilitating pain and is difficult to treat. report the pace at which it evolves. There are several ways to reduce the painful appearance, and processes are available to avoid pain and prevent inflammation. The most common way to prevent this appearance is the use of painkillers such as codeine and paracetamol, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen, and corticosteroids (4). However, scientists are currently trying to discover methods. to prevent the body from attacking the bone... middle of paper ... the machine is a small electronic device that sends impulses to your nerve endings via pads placed on your skin.” The downsides are that it takes time and some exercises may be too painful to do. (14) Data from Source 14 was obtained from Arthritis Research UK, which is a member of the Fundraising Standard Board and has been a charity since 1936. The charity funds the development of research into arthritis, information on the website is therefore correct. because its source comes from a research center. Additionally, data is supported on the NHS website. However, the data could be skewed to give people false hope to encourage funding. These alternatives only work by delaying damage or relieving pain whereas TNF blockers work by stopping the source of the problem and allowing the patient to return to their previous state of health. be.